Dried Lilies: The Morning Lily
by Kait Hobbit
Summary: From their seventh year till their death three year's later, James and Lily had a relationship that would sometimes be questioned, but never found false- regardless of what they, or anyone else thought.
1. Heads

D: No copyright infringements intended. I'm just a procrastinator with a laptop (bad combo eh?)

AN: confession time-I'm a die hard Golden trio girl. Love writing during their time line. It's what I'm most comfortable with. But for some reason or another, I've been bitten by the "James and Lily" bug and can't help it. I don't know how good/bad this will be, but I'm honestly trying something new. As always, suggestions/comments/complaints are welcome. -Kait

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"Now you have all your books Lily?" Charlotte Evans asked as she looked up to her starry eyed daughter. Lily's eyes always seemed to glow when she was heading back to Hogwarts. Brimming with excitement to return to her other home, her other world, where she could naturally be her own self.

The first few times she realized Lily loved the school so much, where she was so far from home had at first bothered Charlotte but with each passing year it was easier for her to let her daughter return. And with this her last year, and Head Witch none the less, there was no question of the pride she and Richard had for their beautiful red haired and green eyed daughter.

"For the last time Mum, I have all my books," Lily grinned as she wrapped her arm around her mum for a goodbye.

"What about your feather pens?" Her father asked as Lily kissed his cheek and hugged him as well.

"My Quills are all packed, promise," she answered, "And any that I left mum can use for dusting."

"What about the parchment? That Essay from Professor McGoogle-" Charlotte rattled off.

"My Transfiguration essay for Professor _McGonagall _is all rolled up in my trunk."

"Do you have your watch? What about your dress-"

Lily rolled her eyes as she let go of her parent's embrace. "I triple checked all of those things when the Spanish Inquisition first visited last night Mum," she grinned looking at her very antsy parents. "Don't worry, If I've forgotten anything I'll just send Gabe and he'll pick it up," she motioned her head towards the tawny owl, covered by a blanket that guarded his cage.

The train gave it's familiar whistle that let her parents know that the time had come to part again, cuing the parents to speed up their good byes and remind the students compartments were quickly filling up.

"I'll write you when I get there," Lily smiled, once again kissing their cheeks and gathering her remaining belongings that had not already been taken to the Head compartment.

"And we'll write you as soon as we have news of Tuney's engagement," her mother said in what she hoped was a cautious tone. She knew that her daughters relationship had been strained these past seven years. However, Petunia had completed her education at Kimbolton two years ago and was currently seeing a beefy Vernon Dursley who worked in the office three floors above from where Petunia served as a receptionist.

As Lily had met Vernon once at a family dinner, where she had been introduced as the "Mentally Disturbed Younger Sister" who attended a special school up in the north, she was convinced a proposal was only one dismal lunch away. In many ways, she saw where they completed each other. Petunia obviously had her own neck, and what should have been his neck if it wasn't so stubby. They didn't stand for "freakish behaviour" and Petunia had sworn that she would never tell him how mentally disturbed her sister actually was. If it wasn't for the fact that Petunia seemed so happy with "The Angry Friar" as Lily called him due to his hairstyle and red hued face, perhaps she would have transfigured him into a pair of binoculars to help Petunia spy on her unsuspecting roommates.

However, the thought of having to sit through a Petunia wedding-one of no nonsense or any fun to be sure, was terrifying. Even more fearful was the idea of having to be her bridesmaid and wait upon her. She was sure that Petunia wouldn't want her anywhere near her on her special day, but at the same Lily feared Petunia would find amusement in making her sister do mundane tasks without magic like the rest of the people they'd grown up with.

Lily gave a polite nod to her mum but gave a look to her father that he understood completely- she'd rather be thrown under the Hogwarts Express than hear about the upcoming wedding, let alone be coerced into participating in said ceremony.

Another whistle, even more rushed goodbyes and Lily grabbed her owl and jumped on the train, making it out to a window to see her parents off as they disappeared behind the rising steam.

Turning from the window she took in a breath of the musty old Hogwarts Express and started walking down the corridors to the Head's carriage. Six years of hard work, making and keeping relationships with teachers, and even more, becoming a great witch with no magical background whatsoever, and she had done it. She had been named Head Girl. If possible, she walked a little taller as she walked down the corridor, almost oblivious she _almost _didn't hear Sirius Black let out his usual whistle. _No, that was Potter, _her subconscious thought. _Oh well, _she thought with a laugh, _who bloody well cares, you're in a good mood, let this one slide-you can give Potter detention later._

_Just a little while further-_her hand clicked the door and walked into the slightly more spacious Head's compartment. Sitting Gabe down on the cushioned seat next to hers, she pulled the curtains from the window and looked at the bench opposite, wondering who her Head Boy was going to be.

She supposed it wouldn't be tragic if it was Kendall Wood, the Ravencalw Keeper who she had once had to do Prefect Patrol with. He wouldn't be to bad; Years of being the Coach of Ravenclaw had taught him "No Prisoners" fear, determination and Leadership that both shocked and awed most people (as long as they where girls). But she knew all too well that if it came down to the nail, he'd make her do double duty so he could perfect his Quidditch form. . . Kendall wouldn't be an awful choice, but surly his lack of care for activities other than Quidditch would surly bar him from the badge.

If not Wood, perhaps Eddie Farnsworth than from Hufflepuff. Tall with blonde curly hair and a flush of pink always on his face. They had done patrols together as well, and found him a great companion but with one single, strong flaw-he was too shy. This shyness didn't seem like a strong leader characteristic. Sure once you were able to crack the mystery that was Eddie, he was wonderful, but still, Lily didn't feel he was Head Boy Material. However, that didn't stop him from being an unusually skilled finder of things. If she ever needed to find something, from a book in the library to a extra food-Eddie was _the _finder.

She had at first fretted that a Slytherin Prefect could have been promoted to Head Boy but really out of all all the Slytherin's her year, and correlating their likability by membership in the Slug Club, she was convinced she wouldn't have to worry about. After all, there hadn't been a Slytherin Head Boy or Head Girl since the early 1930's when some boy named Tom Riddle had been given the headship. Despite all of Professor Slughorns little serpent slugs, none had since become heads.

But if the Professors had asked her who she though deserved the post, she found herself hoping it'd be Remus Lupin. They had spent several Saturday's the past two years in doing their Perfect's rounds and she had a soft spot for Lupin. In her first few years at Hogwarts she had caught on on little details and knew and kept his secret. Out of all Gryffindor boy's her year, he was probably one she cared for most. He was sensible, smart, witty, and although not as handsome as Kendall Wood, he wasn't unfortunate looking either. And what better-if Remus was Head Boy than _he'd_ have to keep James Potter in check and not her. Although she wouldn't deny the fact she was looking forward to putting him in detention, she could only do it so many times before people started to realize it was out of wrath rather than justifiable means.

_Kendall, Eddie or Remus, Kendall, Eddie or Remus..._She kept looking at the door and then her watch. Whoever he was, he was surly late. She glanced out the window to see the rolling Green landscape she had grown to love so much before returning her glance opposite of her. _Maybe he's helping first years, or helping levitate trunks in cargo...yes, that had to be the reasoning he hadn't arrived yet._

"How do you do my dear Head Boy-" Lily pretended , extending her hand out to the empty space before shaking her head.

"Ah-you made it? Congratulations-I was hoping it was you..." she tried again, before stopping to chuckle at her on silliness and leaned back into her chair, looking at the empty one across from her's, her watch, and then the door again.

"_Where are you," _she whispered, starting to worry she'd have to go and speak to the prefects on her she noticed the wallpaper seem to shake and shimmer silvery and then transform all together, a cloak pulling way to reveal a grinning, haughty, James Potter.

"Scare you?" he asked, shoving the cloak into a trunk that had also been covered by the cloak, a smile still plastered to face.

Lily didn't know where her lividiness should start.

"You-You..._YOU?"_

"Aw Evans, I hope it doesn't disappoint you that you're stuck with me for the year," James said with his usual coy smile. "To be honest, I didn't even see this coming. I thought Padfoot had swapped my letter with Moony's..."

She was trying to hide the fact that's what she was secretly hoping as well. "You mean, _you're_ Head Boy?" Lily sighed, Obviously McGonagall had a grudge for Lily stepping on her cat tail back in her third year... Perhaps Professor Slughorn had thought to play matchmaker and James slipped hims something... Maybe Dumbledore was going off his rocker. Heaven's knows hold old he was. Or, maybe Old Man Potter had paid off Dumbledore and bought his son the position fearing James didn't have a record that could get him employed after Hogwarts. Of course, Dumbledore couldn't be bought. It was obvious...Potter Senior, or perhaps Potter Junior had used the unforgivable curse to make Dumbledore believe he needed to make James Head Boy. She knew the Potters would loaded, who wasn't to say that he had bought the badge... perhaps the son had learned his sneaky behavior from his old man...

"Oi, Evan's-Lily are you listening?" James asked, pulling her out of her scruitnizing glare.

"Hmm?" Lily responded, trying to smile but grimacing instead.

"Were you listening to me?" He asked, the coy returning.

"Something about Remus and Sirius?" She guessed...

"Well after that I said 'We'll talk after the Prefect Meeting'-" his unruly smirk still plastered on his face as he opened the door so they could attend their first meeting.

"You know Evans, If i didn't know better-"

"Potter, you and I both know you have horrific Divination marks, so please, don't tell me how we're going to end up together with seven little black haired green eyed boppers running around our front lawn someday," Lily scoffed walking through the door and towards yet another, even larger compartment.

"I was actually hoping they'd have your hair, but if you'd prefer black I'll try and make my genes dominant_-ouch-_Evans!" James rubbed the arm where she had just punched him.

Obviously, Lily sighed walking into the room with twenty odd Prefects and one large Prat, it was going to be a very long, last year.

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	2. Job Description

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Following a Meeting with Dumbledore, who both congratulated and cemented the fact that they were, without purchase, the Heads for the Year. What more, they had to do their first round about the castle that night-making sure that no first years had gotten separated from their house and were wandering lost around the castle. Lily was all but excited to have to take a walk with James, something she had been avoiding since he first asked for a midnight stroll their fourth year.

"So Head Girl, How was your summer?" James had asked pleasantly as they emerged from Hufflepuff wing of the castle, slightly swinging his arms as though he was the picture of ease. He had ruffled his hair in the same annoying fashion he had the previous six years every time they turned a corner and she was starting to think he was also flexing his arms as he did so. She found herself praying that the year would be a quick one.

"Fine," she answered shortly, still somewhat bitter over the fact that James had gotten the position. Was it awful, now as they left the sight of the Hufflepuff wing, that she was wishing Eddie had made the cut and James was just a mistake? _No, surely not. I'd rather take a Finder than this oaf any day...maybe he can find me a way to get rid of Potter. _

"Fine, eh? Did you use all your words on those big descriptive words on the essays McG assigned us?" he asked with a slight chuckle, obviously amused with himself and his ability to laugh at anything.

"Well,_ Fine _covers it. I got to spend a few weeks with Vera McKinnon-who, by the way, would appreciate it if Sirius would write more-"

He gave a surprising nod. "You try getting Padfoot to write a letter. Even if he is twitterpatted by Miss McKinnon, he spent all his words on those essays. I think he's nearly fluent in troll with all the grunting he did when he finished."

"Still, when you promise someone you'll write, and especially if that someone has declared feelings for you-" Lily started, trailing off as James interrupted abruptly.

"Woah- Padfoot declared _feelings _for Vera?" he said, his voice caught of guard and his face puzzled before he shrugged, " Should have had a witness-"

"I did! Her name's Vera!" Lily started, annoyed as they turned a corner and he ruffled his hair.

"Yes, you do have Vera, but she's the one being wooed. If there's something I know about you women folk I could have said _"Thanks for the sandwich Vera,_" and she'd be off telling everyone that I simply adore the thought of her tenderly making a sandwich for the man who loves her more than..."

"Potter" Lily started, a subdued snarl coming...

"And another thing- Padfoot isn't a writer. You ought to pass that on to dear Vera. Five Sickles say _he _at least used all his words on Minnie's essay," James said, slightly annoyed that Sirius of all people was the highlight of this first walk with Lily. "But enough about Sirius. You went on a vacation with Vera, what'd you do?" he asked again, trying to uphold his happy thoughts that this year would be different.

"Well, her family owns a cottage in outside of Ambleside. I spent a few weeks with her and her family vacationing at the Lake District and then I spent time with my family," Lily said, a little less sharply, remembering the feel of the sun as she and her friend had floated along the lake. It was only the last part of her sentence, the visit withPetunia, that made the sudden sharpness return to her. "So there, that's the definition of Fine. Satisfied?"

James let his shoulders slump forward slightly. "You know Head Girl, I honestly don't know what to do with you, I ask how your summer was and you react as though I asked to see your knickers."

"Potter-" she started a warning jet of red emerging from the tip of her wand.

"I didn't say that I wanted to see them! I'm just thinking, _Hmmm, how can I start off a clean slate school year with Evans?_-that's all."

Her wand went down, but the red still danced in her eyes "You can start by leaving my Knickers out of it."

James gave a silent nod and continued walking up the many staircases to check for Ravenclaw stragglers. The silence seemed to be the usual one they had shared for six years of walking around with one another. Forced Silence on James' part, Forced ignoring silence on Lily's.

"Are you going to ask how my summer was?" James asked as they passed the statue of Matron Catherine Noble the Healer near the Hospital Wing.

"What?" Lily slightly confused that the mutual silence had disappeared.

"Well, although you where rather brisk in your description of summer activities, you didn't ask about mine, mighty rude for one who wears the badge ..."

_He's impossible, _Lily thought looking at the boy with messy black hair that had annoyed and fascinated her for years. "Fine-how was your summer Potter?"

"Pretty well Evans, thanks for asking," He smiled, " Do you want to know what I did?"

_Could I care less? _"Sure Potter, what did you do over the summer? I'm dying to know."

He cocked his eye brow, "A little less sarcasm?"

"Don't push your luck Potter, It's been a long day." She sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Well, Padfoot and I-you know we've practically adopted him right?" James asked, getting in his usual state of storytelling. Although she didn't know Sirius Black all too well, she knew quiet well that he was the lone Gryffindor of a Deeply Slytherin-Pureblood-Extremist family. His younger brother hung around with some of the other potential Death Eaters so she could only imagine how well dinner time at the Blacks used to be. She gave a nod, which was enough for James to continue on his story.

"Right, well, Padfoot and I went to London to visit his Uncle Alphard. Nice enough guy, his hearing's going down the drain, but he's still pretty good for a laugh. Anyway, fixed up Alphard's old Motor Bike-you'll have to see it sometime, rather impressive. Remind me, I'll take you for a spin-"

"Over my dead body," Lily mused only to be cut off by James' smile, "Trust me, you'd like it."

"Potter-"

"Not like that- the ride, must you always assume my minds dirty?" He asked, eyebrows slumped.

_Must you always use that tone where I assume? _Lily thought, rolling her eyes."Fine, What else did you guys do after you fixed Alphard's bike?"

A smile broke on his face as he carried on his tale, "Well, we stayed a few more days with Alphard, listened to him and his glory that, Padfoot, Moony and I went camping in Wales for a week."

Lily raised an eyebrow. Although she insisted on calling the 'Marauders' by their real names, she couldn't help but noticing one was missing from the usual line up. "Peter didn't go with you?"

James rolled his hazel eyes, like butterbeer swirling into a glass, "Wormtail isn't exactly the camping type. Doesn't really 'rough it' well. Plus, his dear old mum would have a nose bleed if she knew her little boy would be camping in the woods with a bunch of blokes like us."

_Smart woman, _Lily thought as they started on the path back to Gryffindor tower. "Pity, bet you guys were lost without him."

James gave a simple shrug. "Eh, it's alright. We didn't want him to come if all he was going to do was whine about the hard life. Don't get me wrong we missed him" he started looking at the glance Lily had shot him, " but all the same, We still had fun-and didn't have to hear about Pete's Mosquitos."

He watched her walk up the last flight of stairs to the Gryffindor Floor. "Oi, Evans can I ask you something?" she stopped on her step, still facing forward. His hear didd a leap and he began to speak, knowing that even without her permission he was going to go on.

"So, what were you thinking when you found out I was the Head Boy?" he asked, trying to hold in his laugh as she swung around to respond, nearly loosing her balance in the process.

"I was surprised," Lily answered, turning around and continuing her assent up the stairs and darting down the corridor to the portrait of the Fat Lady

"That makes two of us," James responded, still holding to his optimism that this year would be a better year. It had to be or he'd lose her for sure...

"What about when you found out about me?" Lily asked, now as they stood outside the portrait, the flames of a near by torch illuminating her face and making her emraldeyes shine all the more.

"I wasn't surprised," James answered, "Smartest Witch of our Year, and probably the one with the best personality-I'd be surprised if they _didn't _pick you."

"_Gretta Green" _Lily suddenly spoke, confusing James until he nearly got mowed down by the swinging portrait.

_Always the runner, Lily Evans. _He thought to himself as he quickly followed.

"So all the kiddo's got to their Common Room's alright?" James asked as he and Lily walked into the Gryffindor Common Room two hours after the rest of the houses. The room was all empty, the fireplace still sending it's usual, homey welcome to the two straggling Gryffindors now entering.

"I think so," Lily sighed, tugging at her pony tail so it hung looser down her head. Perhaps it had been the first day on the job, talking to Potter, or maybe it was the frustration of him complementing her, but she was trying to fight the urge of the headache that was coming.

The reached the forks that lead to their respected dormitories. "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow in class, don't forget we have to patrol at 11..."

"Don't worry Evans, I'd never forget a date with you," James smiled.

Little did he know that the smile was only growing as Lily stopped her assent up the stairs and turned back down. Perhaps it was the impish smirk on her own face, the way the fire was reflecting in her deep eyes, the way her hair seemed to fall from the pony tail, but she had never seemed more attractive as she did now walking towards him. He could swear she had just added a slight swing to her hips as she stopped in front of him, closer than she had ever willingly done before.

"Oi, Potter," she whispered, in a tone of voice that James hadn't even dreamed she could possess, her fingers climbing up his shirt and now playing with his tie, loosening it ever so slightly.

"Yeah Evans?" he replied, more for his sake than hers. He had to make sure this was real...

Her wand suddenly appeared between his eyes, Lily stepping away and her smirk gone, but wand still fixed on the mark. "We might be Heads together. You may have been able to clean up your act, but at the end of the day, we're just two people that have to do a service to the school. That's it. We're not going on school sponsored dates, make out sessions, whatever else you and Sirius have thought up, understand?"

"Can I hold your hand on these-" he felt the wand begin to press on his skin. "Right-well, Goodnight Evans," James started, walking backdwards so not to turn on the still aimed and poised Lily.

"Goodnight Potter," she replied as she lowered her wand and headed up the opposite stairs.

"Oi and Evans," James called back, from the safety of the stairs.

"What Potter?" he noted the strained tone that seemed to linger on her response.

Walking down the stairs slightly, and leaning his head out the door way where they could now see each other, "After a body language discussion like the one we just had, please, call me James-"

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He didn't know if or how she responded, he just continued up the stairs and down the hallways that lead to his dorm in Gryffindor Tower, wondering with each step if small steps and efforts he was going to make would add up the way he was hoping.

"And a moment of silence for our fallen marauder," Sirius sighed, sweeping into a bow as James walked into their Dormitory. "What the-" he started, looking at the three flowers his friends had laid on his bed as though a grave while Remus held his head down, smothering a smirk as he continued on with this obvious funeral. "We are here to remember Prongs, who until quite recently was free of the bonds of love, and obedience to the rules, and orderly conduct. He will be missed."

"Oh bug off," James laughed, kicking off his shoes and ignoring the flowers as he jumped on his bed. "You did this balancing act of rules and duty-you're still a marauder Moony" James explained looking up at his bedpost, the little L.E. he had carved his third year still visible, impart because it was the only and most often traced two letter's on the post.

"Yes, but that was different," Remus started, " I've always been more partial to the rules than you. Anyways, you and Sirius are planners, I'm an executor and Peter-" Remus looked at the little watery boy who had just found some cauldron cakes his mum had packed in his trunk. "Well Peter's the eater."

"I guess what we're trying to tell you mate," Sirius started, levitating the cauldron cakes out of Peter's reach, "Although you have this new title, we still need you. Anyhow, you know the rule between us Marauders-"

"Never annoy Evans?" James shot out, which got a nod from Remus while Sirius continued annoyed.

"Well, I was going with 'Always go out with a bang,' but I suppose we can put Evans sanity into consideration as well since you're so keen on making her Mrs. James Potter... years from now so she's not the woman that breaks us up-"

"Because when you think of it, we all need an Evans," James started, his eyes going off into the not so distant memory of her so close to him. "We all need that reassuring hand..."

"Quick, we're loosing him Moony-"

"We need that kind heart, that caring..."

"Peter, stop eating and try to bring James back to his senses!"

"...With all the darkness going around with death eaters and Lord Thingy-it just shows how important it is to have someone like Evans, if not to have a relationship, to have a friendship with..."

"PETER! Put down the Bloody cake!"

"...because in the darkest hour, it's when we need our stability and friendship and kindhearted people the most..."

"Now?" Moony asked as Sirius nodded and water squirted from both their wands at James' face.

Taking his glasses off he looked at his friends who had smirks, but concerned smirks all the same on their faces.

"Really Mate, if your going to get all googly eyed, we're always going to pull you back to reality."

"You are really too kind," James laughed, throwing a pillow at Sirius and another at Remus, a shoe becoming his projectile it splattered the last of Peter's cauldron cakes.

"Now this is the Prongs we know and Love," Sirius said, as he too began launching things in the air, and for a brief moment, all was well.

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AN: Thanks for the story adds/favorites guys! Please remember to leave a review-I'm still rather new at Lily and James, Questions, Comments and concerns always welcomed.


	3. Duty with the Devil

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"If I were you Padfoot, I would try making nice with Vera McKinnon today," James started as he and his friends made it down the stairs outside the Great Hall the next morning. "After all, a little birdie told me that you said you'd write her and I know for a fact that you _maybe_ sent one note and that was that."

Remus gave a side look to Sirius and chuckled, "Is this year the year of our future wives? Tell me Wormtail and I don't have to start hunting to stay in the club..." he joked but did so weakly. It wasn't a secret to the Marauders why Remus didn't date- he was concerned his 'condition' might be a deal breaker and wasn't too keen of the heartbreak that would surly come. As far as he knew, he was the only werewolf being educated at Hogwarts and he yet to find a female werewolf who was his age, intelligent, and somewhat normal...

"Let's take this year one wedding announcement at a time, and Prongs first, " Sirius started, looking into the Great Hall and finding Vera eating her breakfast with Lily. "Oi! Vera!" he started with a wave as he walked over to her side and started talking with a very forgiving Vera.

"She seems to have gotten over the lack of correspondence quickly," Remus started, looking at the girl with deep brown eyes and Golden ringlets. "Think they'll ever end up together?"

"Possibly," James smirked looking at them as they walked in their direction, "He has a better shot with her then I do with Lily,"

"Prongs, just take it slow and don't hex anyone. We just need her to see the real you that doesn't jinx Snivvy every day..." Remus murmured as they too joined Sirius, Vera and Lily.

"Remus!" Lily smiled as he sat down across from her and Vera. "How was your summer?" she asked, far more polite than she had been the previous night with James.

"I had a good summer. Spent some time with these hoodlums," he started, motioning his head to James and Sirius, "But all in all, it was a pretty good term."

"Yes, James said that you three went camping," Lily smiled, looking at Jams when she said his name and then returned her glance to Remus. "I'm glad to see that you all survived."

The Gryffindor Lion that seemed to wake up in James' heart whenever he was with Lily suddenly let out a roar inside of him. _She said my name, this is a good sign. She's either giving into my charm, chivalry, and all around greatness, or she's playing with me, but she just said my name..._

"How was your summer Lily?" Remus asked, returning the question. "It was fine" Lily answered, returning her green orbs to James. " Spent some time with Vera and some more with my family-It could have been worse."

"Thanks a lot Lily," The Bubbly Vera responded sarcastically "And Marlene thought you had fun-I told her the kids where going to chase her away..."

"Marlene?" James asked, " Who-"

"Marlene's my brother Orrin's wife," Vera explained "They're the ones that have the cottage up in Ambleside. Orrin let us stay with him and in return we got to watch their little girls."

"Sounds like fun," Sirius answered slightly bored, summoning a piece of toast from the Slytherin table that Snape had just buttered for himself. "What's the time table today Moony?"

"Looks like Mc G this morning..."

"Great- a 'Welcome back seventh years, This years is NEWTs you're going to die..." Sirius answered biting his toast. "If I knew doing well on my OWLs would mean I'd have to do the harder NEWTs, I think I would've tried harder and failed..."

"On the bright side we have Defense Against the Dark Arts after that-"

"Excellent," James smiled imagining the day when he'd make Snape fly and it not being frowned upon by Lily.

" Potions with Slughorn for an hour after lunch, And then Charms and Herbology before we're done for the day.

The sudden rush of the Owls filled the hall, cutting Remus off from continuing on their daily layout. Packages of forgotten items pelted the tables like falling bombs, landing in their neighbours laps, their breakfast, or on some occasions relocating the morning pumpkin juice.

Lily thumbed thru the letters from her parents, while James cracked open his copy of the Daily Prophet. Only beginning to scan the page when Sirius asked the question he had asked for years "So who died today?"

James gave the all answering shrug as he looked thru the headlines. _Fifth Muggle Family Massacred in Devon, Death Eater's Blamed...International Wizards Corporations threaten pull out after Canadian Witch Killed by Dark Magic... 12 Missing following Bridge Collapse in Devon...Chudley Cannon's for sale once again..._

"Same as usual, Few more muggle's died over the weekend and the Cannons are still the worse team of the Century." James responded as he started reading more into the Muggle Deaths.

For the past seven or so years some "Dark Lord" who answered to 'Voldemort', better known as 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named' since his destruction of the small wizarding community south of Lancaster, had been taking it upon himself and his followers to weed the Magical Community of Muggleborns and those that didn't agree with their ideology of a strong, pureblooded race. He usually didn't pour over the Prophet as he was now, but over the many summers Sirius had spent with James he believed him to read it religiously.

Which he did, but only because he looked fearing_ one _name would turn up_. One_ muggleborn that would be killed, _one _who for some reason or another held his heart..._One_ who he deeply cared for...

"Well, you lot excuse me," Lily said, picking up her books and standing up from the table, " I need to run something to the Owlery. See you in class."

"Need a hand?" James asked as Lily shook her head and started walking.

Ah, the_ one _who always got away...

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"You know, these tours of duty wouldn't feel so long if we talked," James started, after going through his first thirty minutes of duty in silence. After an entire day in which each professor took their time to explain how the NEWTs where so important and if this year was not taken seriously consequences would be horrific. For the first time, Moony had admitted he was grateful to be a werewolf as it gave him at least three days every month that he wouldn't have to study. James, who enjoyed their nightly activities and had always been grateful was even more thrilled as he realized how important those study breaks would be.

"What did we discuss in our, how did you say it, _body language_ discussion yesterday?"Lily sighed, thinking this would quiet possibly be the longest year of her life. Between studying and Babysitting Potter, June could only come so soon.

"You were clear on no make out sessions, snogging-hand holding you didn't cover, but I like all ten of my digits too much to risk it. You said nothing about talking," James pointed out, "And a future request- unless you intend to kiss me, don't do that sassy walk and whisper like you did last night, it plays with a bloke's mind."

"You're impossible Potter," she exclaimed turning towards him with a flash of red matching her hair, illuminating her cheeks. Her brow knit, he knew he had done it... "Is that all you ever think about? Do you just have fantasies where I don't loathe your existence and throw myself at you at every open opportunity?"

"Yes-" James started, looking down at her. He didn't even see it coming the stinging slap clashing on his cheek. "You didn't let me finish!"

"Potter, I don't think I _want _you to finish! What, what else do you think in these scenarios? Please, I'd love to know," Lily fumed. " Do I twirl your hair? Hmm? Do I kiss your cheek when you greet me for breakfast in the morning? Lemme Guess, I do that sassy walk and kiss you in the corridor before class! Please, tell me these fantasies so I can bloody well avoid messing with you."

"I have fantasies where you don't loathe my existence, that's all," James said cooly. "You know. I have fantasies where you're practically the fifth Marauder but more." It was his turn to stand close to her. Moving a strand of her hair and tucking it behind her ear, he cocked his usual lopsided smile, "I have fantasies where I wasn't an arse for all those years. I have fantasies where I didn't make you hate me while I was trying to impress you." He stepped away slowly, and continuing the path they were on before their argument, "And I have fantasies where we're talking rather than wasting an hour and a half every other night doing duty."

They turned another corner in the castle maze, and then another in the strictest of silences. It was as though they had just committed a murder and would rather not discuss just where they where going to get rid of the body. Just when James had wished he'd succumbed to silence after the slab and before his "Fantasy" talk, a voice was heard.

"What do you want to talk about?"

_Bingo._

"Whatever you want to" James responded cooly. "We've been together for seven years and I really don't know much about you." _Other than I've been watching your every move. I think you're attractive, brilliant, and I want us married with a house full of kids with your eyes and some with your hair..._

"I have a sister named Petunia," she started, in a soft, almost defeated voice that he had never heard her use outside of a class when a question was rarely answered incorrectly. "She's a muggle and didn't take to my magic well. She thinks I'm a freak and would be all but happy to have nothing to do with me."

"She sounds like quiet the charmer."

"She must be," Lily shrugged. "My dad and I are convinced she's going to get married to this brainless oaf Vernon. Their both 'no-nonsense' sort of people that are surely going to have a 'no-nonsense' family someday, which in loose translation, means I won't be part of her family anymore. Probably tell her kids I died in a car crash and that's why she doesn't talk about Auntie Lily."

"Does that hurt any Evans?" James asked, casually looking at her to see if she had a change of emotion on her face.

"It used to," she nearly whispered, "But I had a friend who helped me through it. Things will never be the same as they used to be between us, but In the end, I think things will work out. What else do you want to know?"

"Where'd you grow up?Tell me whatever you'd want me to answer for you and then I can return the favor sometime."

She gave a light laugh, the first of the night. "That's all I need, The Life of Potter filling my head."

"Better than some stories, I promise-"

"Manchester," she cut him off. "My family's from Manchester-rather just south of it, in Stockport. My dad had a job in the city and although Stockport's pretty big, It was a quieter place to grow up and not far from the forest. Lots of trees, lots of green things...I had a good childhood. My Mum, Charlotte, stayed home to take care of us girls. She used to be a receptionist where she met my dad, Richard, at Mason's Bricks. Both of them are rather proud to have a witch in the family, they were very supportive those first few years."

"So Petunia, Richard and Charlotte...your from the North Country which explains your occasional bluntness..."

"You could say I don't like putting up with fluffy details," Lily smiled involuntarily,

"Fine, you're a non-fluffy Lily. Anything else about your childhood? Pets, Ice Cream, best friends?" James asked, happy that their talk was turning out so well. First_ Step Jamie Boy, First step..._

_Let's see how he reacts to this one, _Lily thought, using the only curve ball she knew to get Potter all up in arms. "I've lost contact with most my Muggle friends, But until Fifth Year, Sev Snape was my best friend."

_Didn't see that one coming..._"Snape eh? He was your best mate?" he asked, his voice as even as he could get it.

"When I knew him, he was a different person," she simply explained, remembering the boy that would meet her in the woods in a large coat and his mum's slippers and smock. "The Sev I knew helped me in this new world. He taught me all about Hogwarts, and the Wizarding world-he was a familiar anchor in a changing environment. The first few years where hard, being in different houses, and rival houses at that, but we stuck together, we made our friendship work. Then he started dabbing in on all that Dark Magic and the potential Death Eater crowd, and -well, you were there when he called me a mudblood."

James couldn't help that he flinched, remembering the rage that had ran through him as Snape had called her that, even as she came to his defense. A wave of that echoed anger returned to him and he had the strong desire to break something, preferably black and greasy. He had always known there was something between them. The way Snape had looked at her, he though perhaps more than Friendship but he believed Lily, he had too.

"Ever since, I've spent more time hanging out with Vera; she's a nice girl-a little crazy about Sirius-but still, she's a good friend to have. Also got a long well with Mary MacDonald, but she's gone abroad with all this Dark magic going on." When she finished, he wanted to thank her for talking but he couldn't help but notice a dust of pain in her eyes that had appeared as she talked about Snape.

"See, now that chat was too bad," James said patting her back as they continued walking. "Well, when do I get the Life of Potter?" she asked, a little too quickly than she'd like to admit.

"I guess that's just going to have to wait till our next little outing," he said, looking down at his watch. "12:00-we're off."

* * *

AN: Thanks for the add guys! Keep on doing what your doing and as always, questions comments and concern are welcome. -kh


	4. Death and all his Friends

((*))

"So how's your Head duties going?" Sirius asked the following week, as they shuffled around the Library looking for a book that was supposed to help with the paper McGonagall had assigned. As usual, the two had postponed the paper to the absolute last minute and now, two rolls of empty parchment in hand and a canister of midnight oil in their might, they descended into the library in a last ditch effort before they would, inevitably, return to the common room and beg Moony for help.

"Things are going pretty well." James grinned, thinking back on the past few weeks. Yes-Lily still insisted on calling him Potter, but she had done so with less spite in her voice. Now it seemed it was mere annoyance and even, on some rare occasion, content. Sirius gave a nod of approval and kept searching the stacks of books.

"So when you going to put phase two into action?" He asked, flipping the pages of the directory but not really looking at them.

His friend cocked his head and looked confused, "Phase two?"

"_Shock and woo_? What else?" Sirius smirked, looking at his friend as though he had forgotten Christmas. "You know, _Operations Evans_, or _The Mrs. Potter Project__? _What you've wanted to do for years . . . Win Lily?"

James rolled his eyes, "No plan Padfoot."

"No plan?" Sirius answered quizzically, "Prongs, has she cursed you? I wouldn't put her past it…"

"No Padfoot," James interrupted, with a shake of his head. "The plan is no plan- this is going to go as natural as possible . . . " James watched his friend give him the all-knowing _"yeah right"_ look.

In all honesty, the past few weeks had been rather blissful for James. Their next night of duty, Lily had asked him for his childhood stories, and it seemed to be the second of many conversations that would take place as they made their way around the school.

((*))

_"So __you heard about my __Muggle sister, what's your story?" She had asked, hoping to not __make obvious __her newfound interest in the boy who she had, for so many years, tried to ignore. She couldn't __understand__ why she had this new found interest in his existence, and had __put it down to being the only way to __make time pass as they did their tours . . . that had to have been the reason, the only reason at all . . ._

_"Well, my parent's were exactly expecting me. They'd tried for years to have kids but didn't get me till they were both 45," he said with his usual smirk and twinkling eyes._

_"You mean your poor mother had to raise you in old age?" Lily said, trying to imagine James Potter as a child and sure that he was more than an armful of work. "Poor woman."_

_"Nah, Mum enjoyed __it__. I was the little kid she always wanted, just a few years late. She and dad thought that their riches had cursed both of them to be childless- See both of my parents had inherited loads of gold and my Mum actually had a dowry..."_

_A dowry? Perhaps they where traditionalists, or maybe it was a wizard custom that she'd have to recognize if she wanted to marry a wizard. Either way nothing could hold her back from response "You're not kidding when you said they were older-"_

_"Anyway, part of the Dowry was a house in Salisbury. So I spent most of my childhood there, but for vacations we'd spend summertime at Dad's family house in Godric's Hallow," Potter continued smiling._

_She had paused for a minute, trying to process the information. Two houses, elderly parents, it was all coming together. The main reason Potter was a dolt, had to do with the fact he had probably been spoiled since first carried into a nursery. She wouldn't be surprised if he __hadn't__had__ a few governesses __growing up__, but she held in her suspicions and once again surprised herself with another question. _

_"What was it like, growing up a wizard?" Lily asked, having always wondered how a magical childhood compared to her Muggle upbringing. Once she had asked Sev, but since his father was as amused as Tuney towards magic and his mother didn't care anymore, she doubted he even knew. __Besides, he__ didn't like to talk about growing up or what happened at Spinner's End. All he ever told her about __were __his day's walking in the woods and avoiding sight. "After all, if they can't see you," he had once told her," you can't get yelled at…"_

_"Eh, it wasn't anything too different. We'd always go to Godric's Hallow in the summer and I'd __play in__ a junior Quidditch League- that was a bit of fun. Primary School was the best though-Mum and Dad had me go to a Muggle school..."_

_"You were educated as a Muggle?" Lily asked shocked beyond belief. "I thought you were a pureblood?"_

_He had surprised her with this piece of knowledge. "So what? Being a pureblood doesn't mean I was born knowing how to read and write."_

_"So shouldn't you have been given a silver spoon and attended a wizarding primary school that told you how special and amazing you __were__?"_

_James laughed, "You don't believe that garbage do you? Really Evans, why would my blood make me any more special than you?"_

_"It wouldn't," Lily answered quickly. "I just know some pureblood's think that..."_

_He couldn't help but notice the ever-faint spark that came into her eyes when he answered, "My parents didn't agree with that. That's one of the reason's they sent me to the Muggle school, they didn't want me to be a bloodist. They think Ol' You-Know-Who is a crazy man that needs to be stopped. I made friends with a few muggles, had them __around__ for __my__ birthdays-we just had to do a memory charm before they went home." He smiled, remembering his youthful days, and then__ added __in a serious voice, "My family and I don't see the big deal about blood purity. We don't see blood, we see people."_

_Apparently, defending her after the "Mudblood" comment __in__ their fifth year hadn't __made his opinions clear enough to her__. He didn't mind. She'd then __gone __on to grill him about pets and other things as they had continued their tour of duty._

((*))

_We're getting closer, _James thought now, flipping through thick pages layered in dust, _ever closer . . . _

"Well, just make sure you still keep some focus on You-Know-Who," Sirius murmured, calling James back to reality. James notice as his friend's eyes slid towards a few Slytherins working at a table a few rows behind them. "Got a letter from Alphard this morning and he's certain ol' Reggie's enlisted."

"Your brother?" James asked flabbergasted, looking over the top of the books to the skinny, black haired boy. "Padfoot, he's only-"

"Sixteen? I know. Apparently you don't need to be of age to offer your allegiance," Sirius knitted his eyebrows. "Normally I wouldn't care, but Alphard says Mum's planning a large feast when he goes home for Christmas. I swear, I think the Healer's switched me and some pureblood baby at birth. Just think, somewhere in this castle, there's a Slytherin Muggleborn that's going thru an identity crisis."

"Wouldn't be surprised if you and Reggie didn't look so much a like," James agreed, lifting a copy of _History and Art of Transfiguration in England _up to pull out '_From tea cups to Trapdoors: Modern Arts of Transfiguration'._

_"_Identical on the outside and so twistedly different on the Inside," Sirius agreed, a barely veiled layer of disgust in his voice" Personally, I'm surprised You-Know-Who took him; Reggie isn't one for killing things. He must have got the coveted receptionists position." A smirk jumped on his face, "_'Lord Thingy's Office, please hold... Yes, Who would you like to kill? Muggle Neighbor, someone will be there in the morning.'"_ He mused as he too pulled out an old looking book, now looking at James in seriousness.

"Heard from the resistance yet?" Sirius muttered in a hush whisper, as they carried the books towards the circulation desk.

James shook his head. "Still waiting to hear from the Prewett Brothers and Frank Longbottom. I hear there doing something, but it's supposedly hush hush. All I know is that they're doing something to show their disdain for Death and all his friends."

"Well at least they're doing something, I just hope Fabian and Gideon doesn't have all the fun before we get out."

A smile pulled on the corners of James' mouth. If anyone could stop You-Know-Who, it would be the two burley Gryffindor Beaters who had graduated the previous two years, Fabian and younger brother Gideon. "Good point Padfoot, very good point."

(((*)))

Severus Snape had surely had better days.

Or years. He remembered days when he could feel the sunshine on his face, and warmth rush to his pale, solemn cheeks. He could remember when he had his own personal sun, shining in his life.

And he could also remember when the sun decided to stop shining, leaving him with these dark, unforgiving days. Now all he knew was the numbing darkness that had claimed him when he cast away the sun forever. Nights that never ended and comfort that never came.

"Lucius Malfoy will meet us outside of Hogsmeade next month," Macnair murmured as they sat in the library, under the pretense of working on a Defense Against the Dark Arts assignment. "He says that he has a message to give us from the Dark Lord."

He could notice the younger Black boy's eyes shining at the thought of serving the Dark Lord so early and personally. Severus recognized his excitement, he had displayed it once himself. He still had that enthusiasm, but now it was the thirst for vengeance that kept him fervent. He looked forward to the day when he could help clean the world of Blood traitors and arrogant fools-personally hoping for the day when he'd be chosen, out of his loyalty and determination to the cause, to kill James Potter and Sirius Black.

He could see them several meters away, having their own conversation as they absent-mindedly flipped through Transfiguration books. Potter looked too happy, the smug look on his face more prominent. He had begun learning Occlumancy earlier that year when Lucius spoke of the Dark Lord perhaps requiring a spy. Although he doubt there was anything worthwhile to note in Potter's mind, he could always use the practice..."_Occlumons," _ he whispered, looking at Potter, and quickly wishing he hadn't.

There she was, her usual inquisitive questions bombarding Potter as they walked. Normally when she spoke to him, she had an added tone of spite about her, but now the malice was absent. Her eyes were still guarded, but not as much as usual. It was as though she was interested in what he had to say . . .

"_'They didn't want me to be a bloodist-'" _Potter said, it was there when he saw it. It was there in the way he explained himself he saw what he had been dreading for years.

Years of calling him a toe rag, years of name calling, ignorance and what he thought was mutual disdain, Potter was doing it...

He retreated from Potters mind, pulling from Lily's ever-faint smile and reached for his wand. He could get him. He had more Slytherins with him, all of whom would be happy to attack Potter and Black. Regulus might not take to it well, but the blood that was pounding in his head could care less how Regulus felt about attacking his brother and his brother's friend.

He was just about to flick it, just about to cut him, cut him so deep that perhaps-if he was lucky-it would go beyond whatever magic Madam Pomfrey could do. If he was lucky, this could be his first great price and killing Potter would elevate him higher in the ranks of the Dark Lord. Yes, Potter was a pure blood, but he was against the Dark Lord all the same . . .

And just as he was about to make the small flick that would do so much, he saw Lily standing two shelves over, watching him. He set down his wand as she suddenly picked up the book she had been looking at and started heading for the doors.

"Where are you off too?" Macnair asked watching as Severus quickly gathered his things, "Meeting someone?" The burly Slytherin raising an eyebrow as though he imagined either a hexing or a snog to be only so far away in his future.

"Something like that-I'm going to try and get Potter and Black while they leave," he lied, rushing past the aisles and books, dropping his own books in the depository and fleeing from the library confines before any of his housemates could try and join him.

He quickly looked down the corridor to see which way she had went, still uncertain what exactly he would say. A mere technicality, that's all it would be. Turning to his left he soon began to see the outline of the tall figure that was Lily Evans.

"Deciding who to hex next Snape?" Lily asked, turning around as she heard the clumsy, fumbling footsteps of Severus as he tried following her. "What's holding you back? You usually let your emotions think and speak for you don't you think?" He had never expected her voice to be like this against him. He had never imagined that she would address him in the voice she usually reserved for Potter.

"You know damn well he's just pulling an act, don't you?" Severus growled, staring at her with hard eyes, "You know that he's just pretending to change hoping that it will get you."

She continued walking, turning her back on him, "That's ridiculous. Potter is still an insolent..."

"Don't. _Lie. _Lily," he continued, grabbing her wrist, as she turned around, her eyes livid.

"Let go of me Severus, " She ordered, red quickly matching her hair and cheeks. He didn't however, not being able to hold in his rage. "I've seen how you look at him when you're on duty. I know how you're just going to say your only spending time with him because you have to. But you don't have to lie Evans, you're starting to like that toe rag aren't you?"

"Bug off Snape-" she spat, weaseling her wrist out of his grasp.

"We were best friends Lily, and now you're chasing this idiot?" He started following her as she continued her way down the hallway. "What's it going to take to get you to see that he just wants to make you his?"

Lily zipped around her wand drawn and all compassion from her eyes vacant. "We _were_ friends, now I could care less what you have to say. We've chosen different paths."

"And yours is leading you to the alter with Potter!" Snape spat.

Lily thinned her lips; "No one was holding you back from Hexing James-"

Sparks erupted from his wand at the sounds of Potter's name. "You _are_ falling for the toe rag, you muggleborn filth . . . "

"You- don't you dare call me-'

"You can't wait to be his, can you?" He sneered, his usual snow white face now red and his jaw locked." 'The Blood Traitor and his Mudblood, story for the ages..."

"What did you just say?" an angry snarl sounded from behind him. There stood James, his wand held aloft, Sirius not far behind. His jaw locked, eyes flaring with anger, he tried to hold an even voice, "Apologize to Evans, Snape."

Lily looked mildly annoyed as she lowered his wand. _Oh great, Potter, Black and Snape-I'm going have to find three different matchboxes when all of this is over..._ "Potter, don't-"

"Oh, go a head and call him_ James_ again Lily," Severus started, a mocking smile dancing in his eyes. " Potter's no longer Potter, oh no-Lily call's him _James.._." He turned from Lily and looked at James, "Go ahead," he sneered, looking at him with pure spite. "Clean up that muggle trash, toe rag. I hope her mud's enough for you're standard of filth."

"Snape, Ten points from Slytherin for your foul stench and language. Also, I'm going to recommend to your Head of House you get detention for your harassment of Head Girl Evans," James said levelly, his fists tight, " Return to your common room immediately."

Surprisingly to Lily he did turn but gave a last chilling word as he did, his beady black eyes now smoldering with hate. "You two better enjoy it while you can. You might be the Heads in here, but outside of the school, you don't have a prayer"

Disappearing down the dark hallway, he fell away into the shadows. "Want me to follow him?" Sirius asked, all to willing. "Just to make sure he does end up in the Dungeons?"

"That's alright Padfoot-"James said, his eyes still locked on the slimy locks of Snape's retreat.

"No, Let him go ahead," Lily encouraged, not looking at either of them, "Potter and I need to check on the Ravenclaw Wing and make sure everything's quieted down there."

James gave an inclining nod as Sirius disappeared down the same hallway as Snape had just done. A bounce in his usual sleuth like self, as though he had just found a gift hidden under the Christmas tree.

"You didn't have to do that," James said as he looked down the dark path Sirius had just disappeared down, "You know Padfoot's going to hex the living daylight out of him."

"Funny thing about Severus is he never has had the living daylight in him. I just hope that Sirius won't be disappointed," Lily countered, walking up the stairs with James, turning towards Gryffindor tower rather than Ravenclaw.

A silence lingered over them as they walked, turning up a set a stairs, "You didn't have to do that either," Lily started quietly, turning around to look at him. "I had everything under control there. He doesn't bother me anymore"

He rose to where they where on the same step, his natural height now towering over her, looking at her in what he hoped was a soft by firm gaze. "Do you want to know something?" He asked, then not waiting for her response, "While it might not have bothered you what the git was saying, it was bloody well bothering me."

"Potter, you don't need to..."

"We all need saving every now and then Evans," He said bluntly, "We're not indestructible, at any minute it could be the end-Just know I got your back ok?"

She gave him an appreciative smile. "Thank you," she nodded, trying not to meet his eyes. Potter had always been after her; she knew this, but his new tactic of being sensitive and was making her feel something funny, and she wasn't sure whether she liked it or not yet.

"I don't know how I was such a prat and had him as a friend all those years," she murmured, looking down at her shoes and then up at him again, "You know, I used to believe he was a double agent. I think I just let myself pretend that he was pretending to be into all that Dark stuff so the Slytherins would like him-but with me he was the real Sev." She turned away and started heading down a corridor as they reached the top of the stairs. "Pretty stupid eh?"

"Not stupid-you just like believing the best in people," he answered. _You sometimes believe the worst in people, like me,__ but I used to give you reason enough. _He thought, _but for the most part, you try not to judge others. _Then he noticed she had turned towards the Portrait of the Fat Lady. "No Ravenclaw duty tonight?" James asked, slightly confused.

"Oh that?" Lily asked, a sheepish grin present, stretching to her eyes, "Well, I didn't want a witness to my thank you Potter-"

"Now that's the Evan's I know and love . . . But you're usually not one to condemn violence- Why Padfoot..."

Taking his arm in hers as they entered the portrait hole, the lion in his chest purred. "Well, I couldn't deny Padfoot the fun. After all-he suggested I had a thing for you. I just hope he chased him with more than soap.. . "

* * *

An: I'll be perfectly honest, I didn't mean for this chapter to be so long! First off, thank you SarCoops for beating and helping out with this chapter. I know there might still be some words or commas that aren't right but we're trying our best. Second, thanks to those that are reading, adding and reviewing on this story. One of the great things about James and Lily, we all know how it's going to end, but it's getting there that's the adventure. As always, any questions, comments, concerns or anything else please review or PM. -KH.

D: All Characters Property of JK Rowling.


	5. Concerning Animals

D: I own a laptop and a tv guide for the world cup. characters property of JKR

AN: Thanks to everyone that has added this to either their favorites or story watch lists. I really appreciate. In addition, thanks to Alice Demer, Vicky199415, KingKhan, amd slimarien85 for reviewing (and my fantastic beta SarCoops!) Enjoy Chapter Five!

* * *

Concerning Animals

* * *

"Moony, it's a Hogsmeade weekend," Sirius groaned as he looked at the various stacks of books piled on the table in the Gryffindor Common Room. " Can't we just pretend that we don't have N.E.W.T's and take it easy for a day or two?"

Remus Lupin didn't look up from his books, and from his appearance it appeared that he hadn't looked up in a while. Though he looked better than some of the other seventh years stumbling through the castle, here at the halfway mark of the first term, he was definitely beginning to show signs of wearing out. His light brown hair showed patterns of disarray and thinning, a pasty white color beginning to claim his face that was growing thin- if his friends didn't know about his pre-existing condition they probably would have carried him off to the Hospital Wing in a full body curse for a calming draught.

"We get a day off once every month," Remus said automatically still not moving his eyes from a copy of _Charms, Curses, and Classical Transfiguration Questions for the NEWT Bound Wizard_. "And it's because of those required days off that I _have_ to study extra hard."

Sirius gracefully fell into the chair closest to the curtains, besides the studious Marauder. "Moony, the Ministry would be fools to not accept you into any of their departments based on your condition," he sighed as he cleared away a set of books that had obviously been set aside for Defense Against the Dark Arts. "You're the smartest out of the four of us, and you've been like this for years. Anyway, you're condition isn't that bad-you take precautions."

"Regardless," the worn Marauder sighed, finally turning his weary grey eyes away from the book. "The only way I have the _slightest _chance of getting a decent job is if I do well on these tests."

Sirius wanted to offer a word or two to counter his friend's bleak outlook on his future, but knew that-as always-Moony was probably right. Applying to any Ministry Department would prove disastrous as a werewolf. They might hire him, but only to give him a quick trip out of the Ministry after a week in the Centaur Liaison Office. He would be denied a position in the Healer's Academy, out of concern for patients. Internships at Gringotts would even yield void-The Goblins loathed sharing their secrets of Gold with wizards and would not tolerate what they thought to be _tainted_ wizards, in their vaults. In full honesty, it was a miracle that he had been able to come to Hogwarts. The only possible profession he could have in the magical world, Sirius had long thought, was to take Hagrid's position someday as Gamekeeper, to replace Filch and Mrs. Norris, or take a post as a teacher but keep his condition silent.

Instead of expressing his views, he just gave a weak, but familiar smile. "Just take it easy Moony-you can miss this visit, but I swear, Prongs and I will make you go to Hogsmeade come Christmas time. Wormtail will finally be of age and we're going to the Hog's Head. You can't play the book card for that occasion."

"Ah- You and James downing shot after shot of Firewhiskey and little Wormtail getting tipsy after his first sip," Moony grinned, imagining the future seen, it being similar to his own first visit to the Hog's Head "I'll make sure to pencil it in-." Now looking around the empty common room he looked up at his friend in the chair. "Speaking of the devil, where is James? I haven't seen him since dinner..."

"Where do you think?" Sirius moaned, not even looking at his watch as he sunk deeper into the chair in faux despair, "It's past midnight-nearly the time where we formulate our next prank-and he's skipping around with Evans. Damn the Professor that made him Head Boy."

"Oh it's not that bad," Remus scoffed, at last pushing his books away so he could see his friend now languishing in the chair, "After all a few weeks ago didn't Lily all but give you permission to hex Snape?"

"Ah-she did sanction that," Sirius admitted with a smile, the memory of Snape trotting down the stairs with red and yellow Gryffindor Locks in his greasy hair, _Git _written on the back of his neck, with his robes slowly beginning to shrink to his skin— all the while being chased by bars of Lavender Soap—was still fresh in Sirius' mind. He thought it was a fairly tame hex to perform on the slime ball that had caused James' blood to boil, but he had a feeling hexing some of Snivelly's inner organs out of his body would probably not have helped James and his conquest to win Evans. Now, sitting once again alone in the Common Room with Remus and textbooks, he was beginning to wish he had removed Snape's large intestine after all. "Even if Evans blesses Snape-Hexing, it's not worth Prongs being absent during our pranking time." He finally concluded as Remus shook his head and smiled.

"Well, we saw this coming," his friend pointed out. "Ever since our fifth year, James has made it crystal clear he wasn't leaving Hogwarts without her."

"Yeah, I just wish she would have been more stubborn and made him wait till graduation," Sirius smirked sourly, glancing at James' empty chair by the fire. "I was counting on Evans to keep hold to her stubborn nature for that long at least."

Before Remus could respond the portrait hole swung open for the two Heads, the always-casual Prongs and the surprisingly softer Evans who was walking closer to James than she normally would have allowed, a smile on her face she was unsuccessfully trying to hide.

"Is she smiling?" Sirius asked, taken aback at the sight of Lily's friendly face. "For the Love of St. Mungo-what's got into her?"

"Rather my friend, what's gotten o_u_t of her," Remus replied. "Judging by the smile, and the absence of hex marks-I think she isn't carrying that usual disdain for James. If anything, she seems friendly."

"Pft-Evans, friendly?" Sirius asked, his usual smirk still fixed on his face. " You, my dear friend Moony, need to study less-it's obviously altering your eyes."

"Tell that to Prongs," answered the studious Maunder as he returned to his books. "Because my eyes are betting more than a friendship by the time we graduate."

"Hello you two," James greeted as the two heads reached the Marauders. "Where's Peter?" He asked, looking to the couch where he could usually count Peter to be eating the latest care package from his mum or sleeping.

"Already in bed, figure's he's caught something from the Greenhouse again," Sirius explained casually, ignoring Lily's presence. "We told him he shouldn't eat that plant but leave it to Wormtail..."

"What plant?" Lily asked, drawn into the idea of Peter Pettigrew eating something leafy. While it was a well-known and established fact that Peter was always eating, eating Herbology leaves wasn't as commonly known, and Lily was confident Peter wasn't the vegetable type. Peter was a tad heavier than the other Marauders, but Lily often thought that was because he was the least athletic. James and Sirius, after all, spent their summers living on their brooms, and Remus was often ill_, _she had always assumed Peter was the other one-the shadow of the Marauders. The image of him actually eating something in the Greenhouse surprised her however, she didn't think she'd he'd stoop that low to satiate his hunger.

"Um-some leafy one," Sirius started, now looking at James who was stressing his desire for Sirius to change the subject. "You know, probably one of those 'Satisfaction Tree Snaps?" He guessed, now trying to back up. Perhaps it was the late hour, but Sirius had wandered into dangerous territory and James was shockingly concerned. Lily didn't know about their Animagus acts every full moon, and he wasn't sure this was the time to tell her. He had always known that sometime in their relationship he would explain, and he had always figured she would understand, perhaps even insisting he transform, just to make sure he wasn't trying to fool her. But he had never expected her to discover one of his most guarded secrets thanks to Padfoot's big mouth and Wormtail's unruly eating habits as a rat.

Once he had thought she had breeched their secret; that night in their fifth year when Sirius had had one of his less than brilliant ideas and lured Snape down to the Whomping Willow before Remus transformed. Although they had been extremely fortunate and James had been able save Severus while in his stag form, he returned to his human form once they where clear of Moony. After lifting him back to the castle, and taking him to the Hospital Wing, Severus had at first insisted to the headmaster that it was a stag that had carried him out, not James Potter and that he couldn't recall at all being saved by his Gryffindor adversary. Dumbledore insisted that it had been James, but had noticed the spark that seemed to go off in the old Headmaster's eye, as though he had put the two and two together that Severus had yet to manage.

"We think he's going through another growth spurt," Remus interceded, picking up on the paleness in James' face and reeling him back into the conversation. As Peter was the shortest out of the four, it could only be considered a hopeful wish. "Doubt it'll actually amount to a significant height, but we can always hope." Now, picking up his book again, James picked up where Remus had left off.

"Don't worry Evans, I'll talk to Peter and make sure he stays away from Sprout's plants. Detention again if he tries."

Lily looked at the three friends and gave a nod in agreement although she had doubts of this story. Although James was now smiling and acting as they had when they first walked in the common room, something seemed different about him. He didn't have that usually always present confidence that he faced most things with. If anything, it seemed that Peter's eating habits had finally broken ground on some vulnerability in Potter. While she didn't favor how this seemed to take the color from his cheeks, she liked seeing him nearly exposed as a human...

"Well, I'll see you lot tomorrow. Goodnight Remus, Sirius," she started up the stairs of the girls dormitories and looking over her shoulder, " You too Potter."

"Night Evans," he called back, color back in his face and his invulnerable confidence now shining in his face. He waited for the reassuring click of her door closing before he backhanded Sirius' head.

"Ow-Prongs-_Merlin's Pants, _stop, that's annoying..." Sirius complained ducking from his friend's assault.

"I'm guessing you haven't told her you're an Animagus yet," Remus said, looking up from his book. "It's only going to be harder when you two actually hit it off-"

"_If _we actually hit it off," James said, now stopping from his attack on Sirius' head. "Why didn't I deflate my head terms ago, it would've made this potential friendship much easier than just shrinking it over the summer."

"According to Remus the Seer it's not a matter of _if _but rather _when" _Sirius pointed out, their previous conversation carrying them through. "Just take it easy Prongs and let your Hippogriff's land as they may-. What you need my friend is a day off, and what better than a visit to Hogsmeade?"

"Don't say no James," Remus warned, his voice now monotone as he turned the page, completely submerged in his text once more, leaving James to roll his eyes. Regardless of his Hippogriffs, Evans, or his little fuzzy secret, Sirius still had the ability to act like an excited puppy over anything-especially anything that wasn't school related.

* * *

((**))

* * *

"Evans, Potter, my office if you would," Professor McGonagall called back as the Seventh Year NEWT students left her class Friday afternoon.

"Professor?" James asked confused as he turned around following Lily back into the classroom and towards his Head of Houses' Office. This had to be the second time that he was being called to her office for something other than detention, the first being for career advice their fifth year. Surly he wasn't getting a detention now; after all, Evans was being called in with him as well. Although there were times when he wished their duty had resulted in something worth being called into their professor's office, Lily would have turned him into a bar of soap and mailed him to Snape before that happened.

"Is everything alright?" Lily asked sitting down at the old Cherry Oak desk. Behind it sat Professor McGonagall, setting down her hat and tucking back the light grey strands that had escaped from her bun, removing her glasses before she spoke. Clearly it wasn't detention. If James Potter had learned anything from his near seven years at Hogwarts it was that when dishing out discipline Minerva McGonagall always did so with her glasses on. They tended to magnify both the incoming guilt and deliver the most justice in addition to making the student in question squirm in their seat as said justice was delivered. The absence of the glasses left James almost at ease, but the creases on her forehead proved that this was anything but a social visit.

"I just wanted to thank you both for your work as Heads so far this term," Minerva McGonagall smiled, "You've both been doing very well and I appreciate your efforts." Her smile was short lived and James couldn't help but think, as he and Lily thanked her, this was more than just a pat of the back for three months of no detentions . . .

"As you both know, tomorrow is a Hogsmeade visit and the Headmaster and I hope that you are able to take some time off to unwind and relax for all your efforts-"

"Oh don't worry about that Professor," James smiled, leaning back in his seat, trying to make the awkward meeting a little less tense. Besides, it never hurt imagining the pint of Firewhiskey in the Hogshead that had his name on it. There was no reason to mention this to either Lily or McGonagall, who continued as though she had not been interrupted.

"However, it has come to Professor Dumbledore's attention that some suspected Death Eater's may be in Hogsmeade this weekend," she started, the creases in her forehead deepening "And while we can not bring them into custody, I ask that you two pay extra attention on this visit," She paused looking down at her hands, "There was another attack this morning, this time outside of Tintagael."

"_Tintagael," _James whispered, causing Lily to turn in surprise. It took a lot to silence James Potter, and she never thought that a Cornish City was the key to shutting him up. "Why would they attack one of the Merlin Relic cities?" He asked. It was believed amongst some old Wizarding families that the truest of the pureblood families had their names written on Merlin's Staff that had been left in Tintagael after his disappearance, only for the staff to disappear into myth around the same time the Deathly Hallow had emerged. Although it was just a myth, he knew some pureblood families all but worshiped the city with its crumbling seaside castle. He also knew in the 1500's there had actually been some duels over the city and it wasn't until the 1600's when the Statue of Secrecy had emerged that peace had finally fallen on the city, although strained at the least. To pureblood fanatics like Sirius' parents, Tintagael was the closest thing the wizarding world had to a holy city. To attack it, even in the name of pureblood dominance, would not go over well.

"This attack was actually on a Muggle-Wizard Community, towards the south," the waning Professor explained. "You-Know-Who and his followers didn't agree that Wizards and Muggles could so easily co-exist and they attacked a primary school; the Ministry is telling the Muggles that it was carbon dioxide gas poisoning-"

"There seems to be a lot of Muggles Dying of that," Lily glared, looking out the window. _How much longer till Mum and Dad get that as a cause of death? _She pondered, trying not to betray her worry. It was the easiest way to explain the sudden death and the way the body appeared when discovered. The death would be ruled accidental and the Muggle case would remain closed, as the case moved to the already overstretched Auror department.

"Be that as it may, the Headmaster and I would appreciate if you both would keep an eye on things at Hogsmeade- We're suggesting that you two make rounds around the perimeters of the village. Others will patrol the woods, but if you two could make sure that no one gets that far."

"We can do that," Lily answered with a weak smile.

"It may also be wise to review the Prefects on Emergency Evacuations," McGonagall continued, her hand pinning back a hair that had escaped the tight bun, yet again. "While Professor Dumbledore reassures us that You-Know-Who would not yet attack the castle, nor the village, until we know which of his followers are to visit-"

"Better safe then dead?" James asked, looking between the elderly and the youthful witches who both cast a piercing glare that only Gryffindor women seemed to possess.

"Something to that effect Mr. Potter," McGonagall retorted. "Despite the decrease in NEWT essays to be graded, you can be assured that a student's death would not be well received by the faculty." She responded matter-of-factly. "So you both understand tomorrow's duty?"

"Yes Professor," Lily agreed, shifting her eyes at James. _Great, even my day off from Potter is turning into a Hogsmeade Potterfest_.

"Good," Minerva McGonagall smiled as she put her hat back on her head, spectacles back to resting on her nose. "Now, off you go," and with the summoning of _Transfiguration Today, _James and Lily made their exit from the office and turned down the third-floor corridor.

"So what time would you like me to pick you up for Hogsmeade tomorrow?" James asked, towering over Lily as they made a corner. He held his smile, as her head seemed to whip to face him.

"Excuse me?" She questioned incredulously.

"Not as a date Evans," he sighed, "If I had a galleon for every time I had asked you to Hogsmeade with me, trust me I could buy Zonko's for you."

"Well if it wasn't for a date what was it for?" Lily inquired, her cheeks still showing her warning flares of her red-hot temper.

"For duty," James said simply with a shrug. "Of course if I happened to walk you to the village and we happened to pick up a butterbeer before we made our rounds-"

Lily rolled her eyes and upped her pace, "You're impossible Potter."

He stopped as he watched her descend down the stairs leading to Charms "But oh how we could be possible," he thought, suppressing a smile, as he hurried to catch up with her.

* * *

An: Hey guys! Ok, so I had originally wanted to put all of Hogsmeade in one chapter but it would've been insanely long. Just a couple things on the last part of this chapter: I always wondered how the Ministry and the Real World listed the deaths of mass amounts of people. I figured CO2 poisoning could be one, and then I thought maybe the IRA, but I haven't done enough research on the later so I didn't want to go over board... and then as for Tintagael, well, I just remembered seeing the word, did a quick Wiki search and there you go! Next update will be soon-as always, remember every questions, comments or concerns, or commentary, leave a review!~KH


	6. Now Recruiting

D: All characters prop. of Jo Rowling, Thanks to SarCoops for Beta-ing this chapter.

AN: Hang in there guys-my a/c passed away and I wrote this to keep my mind off it. It's longer, but maybe perspiration is the best inspiration? I dunno, you decide.-kh.

* * *

"I swear, James Potter sees you more than I do!" Vera McKinnon joked as they entered The Three Broomsticks, the slight tinkling of the bell above the door being drowned out by the laughter of the students and the babbling of the shrunken heads who where finding this year's Third Years particularly gullible-especially Hufflepuff Cody Chipman who was being instructed to find a Lady Shrunken head in order to pay for his Butterbeer.

_Those heads are just as bad as Potter, _Lily chuckled to herself as she and her friend continued into the pub.

"Lily!" Vera continued, her voice a little sharper this time around.

"Hmm?"

"Potter?" Her bubbly friend smiled. "I said you've been seeing James Potter a lot lately and I don't get anything but a slight chuckle! What am I to make out of that from the girl who once swore she'd rather date the Giant Squid?"

"Oh Vera- you and I both know that I could never abandon that Squid," Lily grinned looking around the pub. It was pretty full today, so she couldn't make out the messy mop of black hair or the three heads that usually accompanied it. She allowed herself to smile and take in the magic of the pub as her friend continued to ramble about this and that, but mostly Potter. "Speaking of the devil, we ought to hurry up and get our drinks before he whisks me away," she sighed, as they got up to the bar to place their order.

"We have a minute or two," Vera said, picking up her butterscotch colored mug. "Sirius said he'd meet me after he left the Hog's Head. You know, we-Sirius and I- feel like this Head business has jipped us our two best friends," she started, trying to layer her guilt as thickly as the buttery warmth that was going down Lily's throat. "While you two keep the castle safe, Sirius and I just wait in the common room, looking at empty chairs and empty tables-"

"And then find an empty corridor or classroom for a little bit of friendly bonding I'm sure," Lily interrupted, a smile flickering on her face as her friend's cheeks turned into a deep blush. "Trust me, I wish I had less Potter time but-"

"Oh I know," Vera laughed, grateful for the opportunity to turn back from Sirius and herself to a "James and Lily Potter" discussion, "But you know that you're enjoying it Lils."

"Uh-huh, you keep thinking that Vera," Lily said in a tone of voice she usually reserved for her sister when she pulled the inquisition card on her and started coming up with elaborate conclusions for certain happenings around the house. She felt herself grimace at the thought of Tuney. The dreaded letter had finally come, Vernon Dursley had broken down and separated from his coffers-breaking them open just enough so he could buy her sister a little dinky ring. According to the letter from her mother, the ring was simple, but elegant and perfect for Tuney while her father's letter protested that he could've found a better one in a candy dispenser and was contemplating taking the ring to the jeweler to see if the chip of a rock was actually real. Either way, a proposal had been made and accepted, and after what must have been hours of coercion on her mother's part, Petunia had penned a letter sharing the news with Lily and asking her to be a bridesmaid and even going far enough to ask when Lily's Easter holidays would be so they could plan the wedding accordingly.

"Better stop groaning," Vera said, stretching her neck to get a better view of the door. And although she thought her day couldn't get worse, the deep voice of James Potter was now rushing to her ears.

"Evans, did you order your drink without me? Bad form my love," he joked as he took the empty stool beside her and called for Rosmertta to fetch two butterbeers to go.

Obviously, the relaxation that Hogsmeade had offered for three years was gone. Judging by the Butterbeers coming her way, Potterfest had just begun.

* * *

"So how's Lily Evans today?" James asked as they strolled towards the outer limits of the village. "Call it a sixth sense, but I can't help but notice you seem a little more put out than usual. What's troubling you?" He continued badgering Lily, whose mood hadn't improved much from the pub. Maybe it was the look in Sirius Black's eyes as they said good-bye to him and Vera, or perhaps it had something to do with the three fourth year girls who had gawked and all but pointed as she and James walked out of the pub and towards the village limits. While _they _knew this was just part of their job, she was sure the rumor mills, always present on these weekends, were quickly turning out a love story that no one at Hogwarts would ever have predicted _actually _occur between the two known rivals.

She knew she could smile and say that everything was peachy and hope that his sixth sense, like his other five, wasn't as sharp as he wished, but if she had learned anything with her near seven years banter against James Potter, blunt honesty was something he could understand rather than vague hints.

"Well, My mum and sister wrote to me-" she started only to have James interrupt with a giddy look on his face, "Ah-so when's the wedding?"

A scowl strolled across her face, "April, when I'm home for Easter holidays."

"So you get to be a part of the happy celebrations?" James concluded, although he only knew the little bit that Lily had told him about the elder Evans, he was pretty sure that if it were Petunia or James on a desert island, Lily would pick him to be stranded with, or so he hoped.

"Yes. I swear my mother could be a witch, it'd take nothing short of magic for her to convince Tuney I wanted to be in this bloody wedding," she lamented, cringing over the hours she'd have to wear a revolting dress and the time she'd have to spend fawning over her sister and her new lump of a husband. "She's already promised maid of honor to her friend Bernice, so I get to be a bridesmaid with Vernon's sister Marge. I've only heard of her but I'm pretty certain we're going to be far from best mates." She could feel her insides turn and her cheeks begin to burn at the thought of the upcoming wedding.

James gave a low whistle before he asked," And that's what's bothering you? Waiting on your sister and being bossed around by a muggle hag?"

_Blunt honesty, _a tiny voice whispered, _you don't have to be rude just be honest._

"Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be looking forward to that either, but maybe Sirius and I could cause a scene at the wedding and you wouldn't have to invite her to your own..." James continued.

_Blunt Honest, _Lily thought, _the hell with being polite._

"Why in Merlin's name would you be at my sister's wedding?" Lily asked turning to him. "I don't even want to go to this wedding and here you are hatching some harebrained scheme for something you're _not_ even going to."

"Well-I was just thinking aloud," James started but knew it was too late. The flicker of friendship was absent from Lily's eye and he knew all too well that even thinking aloud wouldn't spare him if her wrath began to build up.

"Well, you really don't need to think period. Not aloud, not silent, none of it," Lily started; now walking deeper into the forest.

"Don't worry, Sirius and I'll be in Salisbury for Easter, we won't even think about going anywhere near Manchester... Are you sure nothing else is bothering you Evans?" James asked again, hoping perhaps they could tuck this aside and move on to a lighter subject, but the rise in the redness of her face told him otherwise.

"Of course something's bothering me!" Her blunt honesty snapped out. "The fact that we just walked out of the village, together, butterbeer in hand with all school gossips watching-Do you have the faintest idea what those rumor mills are going to turn out? They're going to think we're up to something!" Lily fumed, taking a swig of her bottle and then locking her eyes on the forest as they walked.

"Well, technically we are up to something," James pointed out smug and yet crestfallen. _She hates me that much where she's worried about what the school gossips are going to say, _he wondered, and_ here I thought we were actually getting somewhere._

"Yes, well I don't think keeping people out of the forest is the something your fan club is going to assume." Lily snapped.

"Excuse me, my _fan club?"_ James started, a rush of red rising to his cheeks that matched the red shooting up in Lily's. "I do not have a fan club Evans. That's Sirius-"

"Oh trust me Potter you do," she glared, stopping and turning to look at him, "No need to try and pull a fast one on me, the _James Potter Fan Club_ is always recruiting..."

"Then who, pray tell, is my fan club. I'd _love_ to know where I can collect my fan mail," He poked looking down at her. _She has more freckles when she gets angry, _a little voice noted before being drowned out by his pride.

Lily could hear the blood thudding in her head, "Where should I start, there's Lena Arnold who paints your number on her face for game days,"

"Lots of people paint numbers on their face," James pointed out, "It's a way to show team pride. I'm surprised you know this _Miss. I-don't-go-to-games-so-I-can-have-the-Library-All-To-My-Self!"_

_"_That's not true!" She snarled, " I don't go to games because I don't see the purpose of watching arrogant fools double the size of their head thanks to their ego!"

"Well I'm sorry that my ego didn't leave enough room for your pride," he shot back, more spitefully than his humor had first intended.

"Proud? How am I proud Potter?" she asked, " I know I'm not exactly humble but-"

"While you're not number one in athletics or humor, you take great pride in being the smart one," he started, "And you've used that to get in good with the professors so you could be a Prefect and Head Girl. So I guess you're not so much proud as you are secretly power hungry."

"For the love of Merlin Potter, " she mumbled, slightly amused that he saw her as a power hungry fanatic. Oh she might be a little guilty of that but not as guilty as some...like that one girl who usually looked James up and down when he walked by her in the library... the blood returned to her cheeks hot and quickly. " Don't change the subject Potter. That Lucie Blumel, you know the one who tried to be partners with you in Potions last year? She's the power hungry one."

"Oh Hell Lily, not this fan club nonsense again..."

"And then there's Hannah Lee, I know for a fact she's the one that sent you those Cauldron Cakes last Christmas-"

"Gave them to Peter, I'm not a fan," he snarled back. "So a crazed Quidditch Fan, a lonely future hag, and a Sweet shop girl, really Evans, I thought you'd have worst."

"There's Amy Flax-"

"She dated Sirius in fifth year, and I can promise you after the horror stories I've heard from Padfoot there's no way I'd ever date her-"

" Renee Palmer-"

"Blonde hair, blue eyed, not my type."

She whipped her head around to face him, cheeks still red, though her expression hinted she hadn't thought he'd be able to wave these all off. " Joan Ellis" she started in a last ditch effort. "She not only sends you those chocolate frogs whenever you're in the Hospital Wing, She's also cut a strand of your hair off while you where asleep in the Common Room _and _has a snapshot of you on her wall-"

"Now while that is just plain creepy," James started, his face all flustered and hazel eyes a simmering, "You, my dear Lily, Patron Saint of Perfection, Beauty and Stubbornness-You of all people should know that just because one person feels something for someone else, that someone else doesn't automatically return the feeling."

"Potter-" she sighed looking at the ground, away from the attractive glow of his angry eyes. Maybe they had both gone too far. That had to be it. For no other reason could Lily explain the odd discomfort she was feeling knowing that James was the President, Vice President and Secretary of the Lily Evans fan club _if _one such organization existed, despite her lack of warmth towards him. "I shouldn't have been so sharp, but surly you understand that we-" she lifted her eyes but as she did she noticed James' where far from her own, and rather looking at something in the far off distance.

"Where are we?" she asked, feeling the worry widen her eyes. They were only supposed to walk the perimeters of the forest, not the forest itself. She must have been storming off while she and Potter argued. Now, thanks to him and with minor assistance from herself, they where lost in the forest with Death Eaters out and about.

"I know where we are don't worry, just duck down and follow me," he whispered as they crouched behind a fallen tree a few meters away from where they had been walking. Removing his glasses and lifting his wand he murmured "_Magnefietti." _and returned his binocular like glasses towards where he had been staring before their disappearance to hiding. "I think we found our Death Eaters," he nudged, passing the frames to Lily as he rummaged through a knapsack she hadn't noticed him carrying earlier.

"You're eyesight really is atrocious," she complained, squinting to make clear the four men standing together in their dark robes.

"Well not all of us were blessed with the gift of sight," he answered briskly, retrieving the glasses and passing her a shimmery cloak she had recognized from the Hogwarts Express.

"Why are you giving me your invisibility cloak?" Lily asked, as she noticed James rolling up his sleeves and looking around the forest. "Where are you going?"

"Listen Evans, we're about a kilometer east of the Shrieking Shack. I want you to put on the cloak and if I'm not back in ten minutes, start walking that way as quickly as you can under the cloak. Understand?"

"You mean you're going to the Death Eaters and you expect me to just sit here and mind my own business?"

"You yourself said that I have awful eyesight, I'm simply going for a better look," he explained with his casual smile, attempting to dismiss any complaints he knew to be coming.

"Well then you take the cloak if you're going to be idiot enough to snoop on the Death Eaters. Trust me, they'll make that spell of Snape's look perfect for doilies at tea parties." She snapped, throwing the cloak back at James.

"Although I'm flattered by your concern Evans," he mimed, obviously still miffed by their recent squabble, "I have other ways of keeping myself hidden."

"Then let me come with you then, you stay hidden your way and I'll hide under the cloak," Lily pushed, headstrong and stubborn, as always.

"Can't do that Evans, goes against the whole 'Chivalry' thing they tell teach us Gryffindor lads. I'll be back in less than ten minutes," he said locking his butterscotch eyes to her own. Taking the cloak she had just throw back at him, he wrapped it around her shoulders, tucking a flame of red hair behind her ear. "Chaser's Honor, I'll be back," he said, sealing his word with a classic smirk.

"Oh like that amounts to much," she jabbed lightly as she watched him get up, not waiting for her further protest. "Be back soon-just don't hex any animals while I'm gone, deal?"

Then without waiting for her reply, he leapt up and started walking towards the distant scene. Disappearing behind the thick trees as she looked around, her eyes glued on the clearing that would lead to the next set of trees for him to pass through. Holding her breath, she waited for the lanky shadow of Potter to walk into them, but he was nowhere to be seen. "Potter," she whispered from beneath the cloak. "James!" A movement in the bushes initially lead her to a sigh of relief, but a dark stag emerged as a prang of worry hit her stomach. There was no way James Potter was allowed to die on her this year. She wasn't going to be the one to tell Professor McGonagall that the captain of the Quidditch team had perished, let alone that she refused to do her Head duties alone. _The Hell with chivalry, _Lily thought as she clutched on to the cloak, counted thirty hippogriffs before following him into the dark shadows of the forest.

* * *

*

_"_What news from the Dark Lord?" Macnair asked after greeting Lucius Malfoy. Perhaps it was because he had graduated four years earlier, Malfoy carried the same air of confidence and self-elected high position at this meeting. His blonde hair tied back in a ponytail, emphasizing his chin and the sharpness of his expression; Severus believed that Malfoy hadn't been overly excited about being assigned this task from the Dark Lord. Apparently being messenger to the new recruits didn't hold the same amount of glory as massacring muggleborns in Bournemouth.

"Not much news," he said surprisingly. "The Dark Lord acknowledges your interest in joining our ranks. However, due to your current attendance at school, he finds it would be unwise to brand you with the Mark until you can actually act as a Death Eater on will and without the interference of the Headmaster."

"Oh trust me Malfoy, there's a few Muggleborns we wouldn't mind to cleanse from this school," Macnair spat, imaging a few of the round-faced Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw girls that tended to shy away from his advances.

Unimpressed by his enthusiasm, the branded Death Eater continued, "While we welcome you to our ranks, the Dark Lord has a task that he wishes each of you to contemplate before you graduate in June."

"Anything," breathed thin faced Regulus, eyes brimming with devotion.

Severus couldn't understand why little Regulus was here; He had yet another year before he could become a true Death Eater, and even then with the Dark Mark, he wouldn't be a real Death Eater. Regulus had the blood, but not the desire to do anything significant to the cause of Wizard Dominance. He hadn't been bullied, he'd never felt so isolated he'd do anything for acceptance, he'd never had to want for anything, his mother had probably seen that his every wish was fulfilled. He'd never lost the best thing that he had ever had-he'd never seen that thing turn to the one he hated the most... to be a Death Eater was to be dead in emotions, to be dead in the heart. To be a Death Eater, thought Severus Snape, was to be death walking. It was to take lives to fill the void. Even when the Dark Lord had completed his quest for Wizard Dominance, the void of Lily would still be present in his non-existing heart. He would be walking in Death, and perhaps that'd lead him to at last to a final rest and his only desired peace. . .

"The Dark Lord has come to the realization that perhaps we should widen our scope of new recruits," Malfoy drawled on, pulling Snape from his thoughts. "He feels that to deny one person the mask of the Death Eater because they are not from Slytherin might deny us several valuable members. He asks that you think of and suggest those that might be valuable to the cause."

Macnair gave a sick chuckle and exchanged a certain look to Regulus and Severus before returning it to Lucius. "I don't know about these two, but I can't think of any Gryffindor that would take the Dark Mark. You'd have a better chance getting Dumbledore to join up than you would James Potter. He could be the bloody heir of Gryffindor for all we know."

"Well could Potter contribute anything to the Dark Lord?" Lucius asked contemptly, "While he may have a certain mindset now, we have ways of persuading people," he informed, his hand stroking the silver snake coiled about his wand.

"Potter has nothing but target practice to contribute to the Dark Lord. We couldn't even mount his head on the wall it's so full of hot air," Snape clarified. "However, I wouldn't object to a Potter target practice."

"He's fairly good at transfiguration," Regulus admitted, speaking in a quiet almost fearful voice as though he was worried what would happen if he shared this. "Whenever he would visit my brother in the summer, they spent hours pouring over transfiguration books. He's not bad at charms either."

A sick smile uncoiled across Lucius face as he turned to Snape. "That's obviously more than a target practice," he stated. "Very well Potter, who next, Sirius? The Dark Lord does acknowledge the power and influence of family members within the Dark Mark." He said, looking at Regulus. "Your cousin Bellatrix seems transfixed on the idea of becoming a Death Eater. Perhaps the Blacks would all desire to join?" Severus cast a glance at Regulus, all color now flushed from his face.

"Nah, like Macnair said, You're going to have a hard time getting Sirius or James, or any of the Seventh Year Gryffindors for that case" Regulus said in a quiet, but calm voice. "They're a talented bunch, no question there-McKinnon's got some wicked hexes, old Lupin knows every spell in the book, and even Pettigrew is fair at Transfiguration. That Alice Livesly from last year, she and Frank Longbottom where the best Charms students of their time and members of the Slugclub to boot but are on the fast track to becoming Aurors, and from what I hear good ones at that. We've tried, but it'd take hell and high water for you to get Lily Evans. She's better than Severus at potions-"

"Than I suggest we conjure some high-water and raise hell," Lucius cautioned, his voice becoming hard and angry as it had when he was a prefect years ago. "The Dark Lord means for a new world to be created, and a new world built by talented and skilled wizards and witches, There will be no excuses," he paused looking at the three boys in front of him, "only results. If they don't accept our friendship, they must accept the fate we deliver them."

A crunch of leaves broke his concentration and he broke his eye contact with Regulus. " The Dark Lord supposed there might be some of Dumbledore's people walking the woods." He hissed as he lifted the hood of his cloak, eyes continuously daring around the forest.

"I will write to you when we meet again. Remember to think of people to join our ranks. They'll either make the membership or the death list." He grinned before disappearing with a single, slithering _pop_.

"We better get back before we run into Dumbledore's cronies," Macnair glimpsed looking around to see who had caused the notice that sent Lucius away. "We should probably split up in case they have people guarding the forest boundaries. I'm surprised they don't have St. Potter and St. Evans out and about keeping the school safe-"

Leaves continued to crunch in behind them, triggering the already alert senses. Without really thinking, Severus raised his wand with a slight flick, once again practicing his non-verbal version of Sectumsempra in that general direction. A thud and groan causing the three boys to stop in their tracks and turn around.

There on the ground laid a large stag, or perhaps a young elk on its side. It was obviously still alive, trying to get on its feet as they drew closer, it struggled to rise, laboring against the deep gash in it's side.

"Perhaps we should call you Snape the Stag Slayer?" Macnair laughed, giving the animal a slight kick in the side. "Ought we put it out of its misery?" He asked gleefully, raising his wand to the stag's head, dodging the antlers that where being prodded at his knees.

Severus bent down and looked at the animal; it was very similar, if not the same as the stag that had saved him his fifth year when Sirius had told him to go to the forbidden tree on the outskirts of the grounds. It was this creature, not the fool hearty James Potter that had dragged him out of the way of the Whomping Willow. Raising his wand he scrolled it down the animals side, watching as the skin sealed itself together again. _We're even now, _he thought, watching, as the final gash was sealed. _Stay out of the woods mysterious stag. _

"It's not in misery any more," Severus pointed out, tapping the side of the animal as though he was encouraging it to depart quickly.

"Come on, let's head back to the village," Regulus started, turning his attention towards the distant thinning of the trees.

"Don't want to practice your target shooting Snape? Macnair asked, as he watched the stag run off into the trees. "We could pretend its Potter? Call it practice?"

"Not today," Severus said evenly as he watched the stag flee behind some bushes. "Come on," he called as the two disappeared following Regulus's steps back to the village.

* * *

*

Lily waited till they disappeared from her eyesight and then sprinted towards the bushes where she had seen the stag disappear. _Damn James Potter_, she thought. It had taken her a while to find the Slytherin trio, and when she had finally gotten close enough under the Invisibility cloak, the Death Eater had disappeared and all that remained were the three that had just left. She had attempted to trail them back to the village but it was her feet crunching leaves that had left the stag bleeding on the forest floor.

Now, lost in the woods with not the foggiest idea where James Potter was, she was about to attempt a 'save the dying stag' mission and search for the traumatized animal. Walking behind the bushes, where she was prepared to find perhaps a jittery deer, she instead found a jittery James.

"Potter, what are you doing here?" Lily asked, looking at him kneeling on the ground as he pulled a red t-shirt over his head, "Where's the stag?"

"While I don't know where the Stag is, I'm sure he's doing fine but might be a tad sore." He joked and then, realizing that she was there and not at the location he had left her his eyes turned dark, "Why didn't you wait? Did you want ol'Lucius Malfoy to find you? Do you hate me being Head Boy so much that you were looking for an early death? I understand you're not excited about this wedding but-" He winced as he stood up and Lily's eyes grew wide as she caught sight of James' right side.

"Potter," her voice shook, " Take off your shirt," she ordered, both mystified and mortified of what she was about to find.

A wrinkle of a smile crossed James' face. "Although I've been dying for you to give me such an order Evans, what sort of man do you think I am?" Folding his arms across his chest he looked down at her. "Perhaps some other day, when you're older."

Stepping forward, Lily moved without speaking as she set one hand on the alien, folded arms of James Potter and the other on the side of his shirt. "Evans-" James whispered, trying to control the delight his skin was feeling at her touch, struggling to keep his voice even. "It's alright, it's just a scar. Snape cleaned it up alright."

He didn't stop her as she gently lifted up the corner of his shirt, her eyes drawn to the purple hugh scar with blood now dried around it. It was deep and long, stretching from his armpit down towards his stomach. "So this is why you didn't need the cloak," she concluded, dropping his shirt down as he watched the green eyes dawn with registration. "You're an Animagus?" She asked, one hand dropping from his shirt while the other clung to his arm. "How-"

"Got bored a couple years ago-" he explained casually, trying to downplay the situation. He doubted she knew about Remus, and there was no need to throw out his secret over this. If he got in trouble, he'd do so alone, there was no reason to drag any of the Marauders into this mess.

When he had attended that Muggle Primary School years and years ago, he could remember the instructor of European History going into great detail about the Spanish Inquisition and tactics used by inquisitors in order to get their needed information. He recalled that they had had used several tactics, many of them brutal, and some very ineffective. Looking at the emerald green eyes staring up at him he realized that there was something the Inquisition lacked and that was the all knowing, all inquisitive gaze, of Lily Evans.

"Does it hurt?" She asked, lifting her free hand to James side, touching it softly and delicately, her long fingers tracing the outline, still warm from the healing charm.

"Not anymore," James flinched more at her touch than his pain, awestruck as he watched her smile.

"Good—" She nodded, looking the scar down one more time. "Now let's head back James." She spoke, taking his hand in hers. "I think a Butterbeer might help-regardless, I think you have some explaining to do."

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An: Alright—you know when you've worked on something really, really hard and you're rather proud of it? Meet this chapter. I'm about to commit the thing I hate most that authors do: I'm ask for you to review this one. I'm between badgering and begging—but please, while I adore story adds and favorites, please take the time to review this chapter. I know the world cup ends today and attention may be elsewhere, but please drop a line. Don't make me stoop to using HP Review lines like " Everytime you don't review, Bellatrix LeStrange knives a house elf. Support SPEW, you know you want to..." (now that Bella's dead, I can't really use that so you can see my predicament.) This chapter was longer, a little busier—I liked some parts, and I really want to know what you think.

Even more than usual: questions, comments, concerns and angry mobs (hopefully not to many mobs) are welcome to review or send a message. –Happy FIFA World Cup Day!


	7. Confrontations and Infatuations

To the following…

_Vicky199415: I'm glad you liked it and glad that I was able to update it when you weren't in class! _

_Hectic-ness: After Germany lost, I really didn't care much who got the cup, but loved the final all the same. Poor Holland…but you can't argue with Paul the octopus can you? Anyway, about Lily finding his furry little secret—I thought it could be a mess too but thought that perhaps this would be better for plot and such. _

_KingKhan: I'm glad that you liked those lines! I try and put humor in there very now and again, and am very glad those made you smile! _

_Thanks for all the lovely story adds! I really appreciate it guys, you all are amazing. Continuing in the Glory of Summer Holiday, here's chapter seven!_

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Confrontations and Infatuations

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"So," James said, looking across the table in the corner booth where Lily sat, drawing smiley faces on the side of her frost covered mug as though she was the picture of ease and _not _about to confront him about his Animagi secret that had suddenly surfaced. Compared to her current silence, he'd almost prefer her infamous temper, at least he knew how to deal with that. Lily's silence was something foreign, something new, and something he did not know how to handle.

"So you're a stag," she started, now looking up from her Butterbeer. "I'm sorry- I'm just trying to process things," she apologized, waving her fingers and fiddling with her red hair that had cascaded down from a frazzled pony tail and was now spilling over her shoulders. "I don't know where I should loathe you or not…I think finding out that someone you've gone to school with for years has secretly become a stag is something worth processing."

He gave a slight nod and watched, as her eyebrows seemed to knit together. He couldn't blame her, she was taking it about as well as he had expected under the circumstances. He had always hoped she found the secret out when they where already dating, possibly married. She would've found being in love with a stag rather amusing. He had imagined scenarios where he didn't tell her at all and she come across him in the morning mist as she took a walk, he had always seen her as the sort of girl that loved woodland animals, in these scenarios, she had carefully walked up to him with an outstretched hand which he would've nuzzled, prompting her to kiss his velvety nose, this would prompt him to transform back into his human form and before she could run away, Lily Evans would've been kissing James, and as he always imagined it, rather enjoying the embrace. He wouldn't lie; that had always been his favorite scenario in which Lily discovered _his_ furry little secret.

He _hadn't_ even fathomed that she would find out thanks to Severus Snape. He had never supposed that she would've seen him with a gash down his torso, trying to escape, but about to be come the hunter's prey. Forget the fact that they had just had a fight hours before, ignore the slight detail that perhaps Lily would turn him in for illegally becoming an Animagi, sidestep that little attack from her former best friend—James had never imagined Lily would learn his secret when he was vulnerable, when he needed rescuing, when he was at someone else's mercy . . . It was about the worst scenario possible.

"Well, whenever you, you know, finish processing, I'm ready," James shrugged, looking around the room. She had insisted they get some Butterbeer and then some tea that she was sure would help his cut, but due to the nature of the looming conversation, thought it best to go to one of the quieter, less busy taverns around the village. James had heard horror stories concerning Madam Puddifoot's Teashop, and he had never expected Lily stroll into the Hogs Head. Rather, they had emerged from the forest, her fingers still wrapped in his hand, and walked to a more residential bakery on the north side of the village. Now, sitting in the corner with plate of sweet rolls in between them and mugs full of butterbeer (and a saucer of tea for him), James could almost hear the wheels turning in Lily's head amidst the ensuing silence.

"Why?" She asked, pulling him away from her wheels and back to her eyes. "I guess that's a good place to start. Why did you become an Animagus? It's really advanced magic…"

He had feared this. In his scenarios, Lily had always known about Remus' furry little secret. He had never imagined a scenario where she _didn't_ have that knowledge. Now, he was faced with a dilemma. To lie to Her, say that he and Sirius had thought it sounded like a nice way to get around the rules, or he could tell her about Moony. He could either betray Evan's trust, or his one of his best friends…was the probability of love worth a friend's betrayal?

_Merlin forgive me, _He thought to himself, and took in a breath, hoping for the best while beginning to prepare for the worst.

"I told you in the woods, I was bored a couple years back, decided to pull a Moony and read a book. It had something to do with human transformations into animal form. I liked the pictures and thought it could be fun," he lied, trying not to act to casually. The doubt in her eyes let him know that she wasn't believing him... he was being bested by something he had grown to love and sometimes loathe, Lily's intelligence.

"You performed one of the most advanced forms of transfiguration, illegally, simply because you were bored and read a book?" She ask doubtfully, raising her eyebrows, she leaned in, an impish, smile dancing on her lips. " Forgive me James, but that doesn't seem to have the thrill or danger that most your plans have."

"For your information," James snickered, leaning in across to the table close to her own face, "I think it's one of my more thrilling and dangerous plots. They'd never suspect ideas I get from books." He heard something foreign and he looked to see that Lily Evans was genuinely laughing at him; _now that's something new..._

" I still don't believe you," Lily smiled, pulling back now, resting against the back of the chair, the smile still dancing on her lips, but slowly giving way to her inquisition. "You insist that you're the only one out of your Marauders that is an Animagus, when Sirius usually follows everything you do. Now, according to McGonagall, it takes years under the Ministry's hand to become an Animagus, and I can only imagine it takes longer unsupervised and underage," she stated matter-of-factly.

'Are you almost done Sherlock?" James asked, taking a gulp of his drink, _She's rather cute when she's putting mysteries together, _he thought to himself, _but then again, she looks cute doing anything..._

_"_Almost Dr. Watson,' she grinned at her own wit, carrying on. "Now, you insist that you became an Animagus because you where bored. You must have been bored for several years, and rather lonely if you excluded your friends from this. I know for a fact that you were neither because these past years have been full of pranks, Quidditch cups, and enough jinxes between the four of you to destroy the castle ten times over. You _had_ to have confided your desires with your friends and I have no doubt Sirius joined along, and then there's Peter-" she rolled her eyes, "you have such an influence over him, if you shaved your hair he'd probably follow."

"What about Remus, or is he still on a pedestal?" James asked casually, still trying to guard some of the most holy secrets of the Marauders. He watched, intrigued, as Lily's eyes dart around the room again, just to make sure they were alone and not being overheard. " Well, it's impossible for Remus-but you surely know that."

He felt a sting of gratitude he hadn't just taken a drink of his Butterbeer, confident as he was that it would've just flown across the table and attacked Lily. Instead, there he sat, staring at the equally surprising Lily with what he was sure was one of his less intelligent expressions.

" What are you talking about?" He asked, his voice suddenly higher than usual. _Damn it, _he thought. He could only think of a handful of times that his voice had betrayed him like this, most of them because of the girl in front of him.

"He and I were Prefects together for two years," Lily said with an even voice. " At first, we were assigned the night duty, from ten to eleven, you can only come up with so many excuses when a full moon comes along, and I had been educated on the signs-"

"Ah, so old Sevvy gave you pamphlets from the Department of Magical Creatures for a bit of light reading did he?" James asked, suddenly annoyed. "I'm sure he-"

"He didn't think I was safe. It's true he had his hunches for years but I honestly think he was worried about me. He thought Remus was dangerous," she interrupted, her green eyes sad. "And the fact that he's one of your best friends probably made Severus trust him less."

"Right, probably hasn't done Moony many favors throughout the years," he sighed, taking in the sympathetic expression in Lily's eyes. " So you know Moony has a furry little problem, that's not too bad. Actually, I like this thought, its nice for someone other than us to know. And that he knows you know..." James trailed off thoughtfully.

The reoccurring realization lit her eyes again and spreading to a smile, "You did it for him didn't you? You became an Animagus for Remus?"

_Had her fair share of epiphanies today, hasn't she?_

"When you have a good friend Evans, you do anything to help that person out," he shrugged, looking down at the tea in his half full saucer."If it means anything, he was opposed to the idea as soon as I suggested it. But, you notice how he gets frail, and all those scars… you start hating seeing your friend like that and feeling like you can't help him. Remus can't stand human company when he's sick, but he _can _have animal company. You know me," he smiled, looking across the table at the green emerald eyes he loved best of all, "I always look for the loopholes."

"Yeah, loopholes," Lily echoed absently, she returned her inquiring eyes to James' face as though inspecting it for something she hadn't seen before. There was something different about the James Potter she was with now then there was the James Potter that had met her at the Three Broomsticks earlier that day. This James was different. Something had been done about his head-it wasn't full of all the hot air she had envisioned throughout the years. Although she was sure he had forgotten the scar that now tattooed his torso, she could still see it behind her eyes. Now, all secrets seemed to have been revealed, and she was seeing the James that for years she had been sure hadn't existed.

"You're a good friend Potter," Lily decided, taking a sweet roll from the table. "A very good friend."

_You're not as selfish as I though you were. On the contrary, you have a heart, you care for people close to you and are willing to go to great heights to help them. You almost seem selfless-putting yourself in harms way all for the sake of your friend, _Lily thought as he brushed of her compliment with a "Oh, you'd do the same," sort of statement. Taking a bite at the rolls in front of them, Lily used the silence to continue her thoughts. _A selfless Potter, what is the world coming to?_

"We probably ought to head back to the main village," he sighed, the silence having been a little longer than he would have liked and still very unfamiliar. "Given our history, McGonagall and Sirius probably have people searching the woods thinking we've done each other in and they're out looking for our bodies"

"Oh no," she cried, her hand immediately flying to her mouth in horror and color draining from her cherry cheeks." McGonagall, we ought to have gone straight to her when we left the forest. She'll want to know about the Death Eaters and…"

"It's fine Lily," he replied, taking her hand in his as she had done earlier that day, this time in an attempt to calm her. "Even as a Stag I couldn't hear what Malfoy was going on about. All we can tell her is that we saw who we believe to have been Lucius Malfoy and three Slytherins."

"Still, we ought to have gone straight to her," she panicked, looking at their mugs and empty roll platter. "Instead all we did was-Oh Merlin," It was as though her body had just registered her hand with his before she quickly withdrew it. " We had a _date-"_

_And this is the Lily I know so well, _James thought to himself. _So close and so far._

"No, we didn't have a date," he interceded. "What we had was a honest meeting. More like a mutual confrontation."

"An honest confrontation? " Lily asked dubiously, raising her eyebrow sarcastically as the rose from the booth and started walking out of the deserted bakery. "How many times have you asked me to Hogsmeade for a Butterbeer?"

"Believe me, in all my scenarios we never discussed my furry secret on the _first_ date. On a first date we would've talked about other things. You know, favorite colors, how we like our tea…and I'd have won you a teddy bear or stuffed snitch or something at a carnival, and got you a balloon or something date-ish like that…" he rambled, holding the door open for her.

It was later than he had thought, the colors of dusk painting the horizon a vivid pink, the dying sun sending it's faintest beams across the mountains behind her, giving Lily Evans the a near heavenly glow, her hair shining like a sun kissed rose.

_And someday, I will get you that teddy bear and balloon, _he thought with a wistful smile, _and anything else you want. You name it Lily Evans and its yours, just say when . . ._

_"_We better get moving, we're going to be late," Lily smiled hesitantly, confused by the look plastered on James face. "Well, are you coming?"

He had just started walking towards her when she heard him let out a cry, his hand flying to his once injured side as he stumbled to the ground in a weak attempt to regain his balance.

"_James-"_ she started, as she flew to his side, trying to pull him back up by his shoulders. However, she suddenly felt a warm, strong hand in hers as James lifted his head with a smile, "Help an injured man down the street?" He asked with a hearty laugh, his usual twinkle in those hazel eyes.

"You little faker, I thought…" Lily started, ready to unleash a temper but rather found a laugh. "You're impossible James Potter," she smiled, keeping her hand in his as they headed down to the colorful shops and bright lit windows they knew all so well.

"I may be impossible Lily, but this," he pointed out, swinging their linked hands, "this could be possible."

"Only in your dreams," she laughed, before starting to chat about what they'd say to McGonagall.

_Well, _he though wishfully to himself, _my dreams might be possible as well._

_

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((*))

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Although the rumors that had emerged from Hogsmeade were as short lived as they where hard to believe, those closest to Lily Evans and James Potter couldn't help but think there was some truth in the woes of Joan Ellis, Lena Arnold and Hannah Lee. While they all doubted the much discussed version of James whisking Lily away in his arms to a secluded picnic in the forest, or the version where Lily declared she had always loved James in Madam Puddifoots, it was clear that_ something _had happened during Hogsmeade duty.

All that _they _knew was Vera and Sirius had found them walking together down the street from another part of the village, with Lily arm-in-arm with James who seemed to have a wince on his right side, closest to Lily. Sirius had assumed that Lily had punched him in the kidney and he was acting sore for sympathy. Vera and Sirius had invited them to join them at the Three Broomsticks for a drink before they caught a carriage ride back to the castle. It was to both of their surprise, when James and Lily declined and said they had all ready had a drink and needed to start rounding up the third years before they could head back themselves.

The aftermath, as witnessed not only by the Maunders but the better part of Gryffindor tower, was puzzling. It was as though the long war that had raged between the two heads for six years had finally come to an end. Now, both Head Boy and Head Girl seemed if anything to have become more polite around the other than ever before. While she hadn't ever jinxed James for studying with her in the common room, Lily had on occasion threatened too; lately, the Potter Appreciation Corps of Gryffindor tower made the sad discovery that their idol now had a welcomed spot at Lily's common room study table. Vera could have sworn Lily had referred to _him_ by first name at least twice, (that being twice more than was usually done), while Sirius had noted at least three occasions where his friend had failed to jinx Snape in Lily's company. Something, the Marauders realized had never failed to do before.

"Padfoot, did you spike their drinks?" Remus asked from where the three remaining Marauders sat at the Gryffindor table, watching from afar as they watched James and Lily passing friendly looks at each other as they monitored afternoon study hall. "Be honest, I won't hex you, but seriously...maybe we should give them an antidote and pray to Merlin that Lily doesn't render you dead once she finds out..."

"Moony, I swear on that flea shampoo we bought last year, I did not pour any love potion or anything else into James or Lily's Butterbeer," Sirius scowled. While Sirius usually seemed happy about progress with Lily, he reserved this mature emotion for when he was hanging out with Vera. Now, alone with Moony and Wormtail however, he could show his 'she's-stealing-my-best-mate' outlook.

"Trust me, I'm as confused as you are in this new found… whateverthis is."

"I don't see what's so bad about it," Wormtail pointed out, stepping out of his usual habit of agreeing with Sirius. He looked over at Lily who was giving an indistinguishable look to James across the room. "After all, he likes her and we like him so shouldn't we..."

"Shouldn't _he _be playing the part of a Marauder before playing the part of a lovey-dovey git?" Sirius asked, shocked by Wormtail's newfound betrayal in siding with the absent James, who had just responded to Lily's look with his infamous wink.

"Well, yes," Wormtail started stammering, looking at Remus for help, who, in turn, gave a heaving sigh.

"Padfoot…" Moony started, pressing his hands to his temples.

"Shouldn't brotherhood come before girls?" Sirius continued, ignoring Remus. "This is our capstone year, the year we're meant to be pulling our greatest moves and he's strutting around being Mr. Head Boy and going about Hogsmeade with a _girl,"_ he murmured, his face becoming eschewed with the final word as though he had just eaten a rather tart Acid Pop.

"But haven't you been able to balance love and brotherhood?" Peter petitioned, only to get a snort of laughter in response.

"Wormy, I've had infatuations, not love. It's going to take a lot to break me," Sirius explained, holding his hand to his heart.

"I'll make sure to forward that to Vera," Remus joked, watching a sharp look pop out on Sirius face.

"Vera's different-she understands I have a need for pranks, danger, and brotherhood. She—like me—is a free spirit and understands that _I _am only truly myself when with my brothers. . . Anyways, this is about James, give me one good reason why we shouldn't be upset with Prongs?"

"Because he's happy and we should be happy?" Wormtail repeated again, wincing as though waiting for a defying blow to his head, squinting his eyes shut. Instead he heard a chuckle and felt Sirius' arm rest on his shoulder.

"Moony, is the Rat giving the Dog a lesson in ethics and morals?" Sirius asked, giving a light punch to Wormtail's arm. Peter looked rather confused, but excited for the touch of comrodery and his surprise to making something funny.

"Yes, and the wolf agrees with the rat," Remus chuckled, "This is turning into everything James wanted, we should be very happy for him."

"I'd be happier if we at least got to do one Prank this year," Sirius whispered, motioning the two flanked on each side come closer as he continued his whispered plotting. "We'll have finished this term in a little more than a month and we haven't doneanything, _yet__," _he stressed with deep conviction. " These poor first years haven't seen our work before, and a couple more of these under years are thinking since James has gone clean, we have as well. Even McG seems to think I'm a changed man."

"No, I think McGonagall will always see you as the horrid second year kid who transfigured your watch into a dog to chase her around the room while she was a cat," Remus chortled. "She probably thinks we're plotting something big."

"Well," Sirius started, his classic shinagin smile sneaking its way to his face. "You know how much I hate letting Mc G down."

"I don't like where this is going," Remus started, shaking his head while Peter, always inclined to follow the popular thought, smiled in agreement.

"_I do."_

_

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_((*))

_An: I know that compared to last chapter, this is a bit shorter, but It seemed like a good ending point. Now would probably be a good time to admit that I am horrid at thinking of pranks. Any ideas are welcome, just drop a line. As per always, tell me I did well or did awful by means of a comment, review, or if I did horrifically a PM. _

_Thanks for reading guys, I'll get working on Chapter Eight!-KH. _


	8. A Chaser's Touch

A Chaser's Touch

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_The air was thick, circling around her, she knew it was getting late; the sun was slowly disappearing from the treetops allowing the trees and their shadows to completely swallow her already fleeting confidence. He had told her to head east and she could find her way back to the village. Of course, even without a forest of identical trees she couldn't have done that. East of what? She couldn't remember where he had left her. It was past the time he had said he'd be back. Chaser's honor be damned. She had decided she wasn't going to wait any more and was now making her way through the maze of trees._

_A rolling, silver fog was dancing in the treetops, a mist with the occasional firefly, slowly descending through the forest. The sun near spent. She had no sign—hand or hoof—of James Potter anywhere to be found . . .what would she do if she couldn't find him? What would she do if she had to return to the castle without him? She felt what seemed to be a knife in her insides, a knife that James Potter seemed to control lately. _

_She needed to find him. That usually took away her discomfort. Find him. Hug him. Hurt him. Hex him. Hold him. Yell at him. Worry with him. Anything. Everything. She just had to find him._

_A soft crunch of leaves had been her only friend as she made her way in the twisted paths across tree stumps and fallen branches. Soon it would be dark. Dark meant he wasn't all right. If he _was_ alright, Lily knew, he'd be out here, fumbling around in the dark, looking for her; and if James could do anything, it was find her. Especially before dark. If he was alright, he'd be with her now, she wouldn't be alone, and they'd be heading out of the forest. But it was growing dark, and he wasn't alright, and nor was she. He wasn't with her. She was alone in the dusk of the forest._

_Lily was about to take another step when she felt her foot graze something soft on the forest floor. She watched light flood her wand while she felt the blood drain from her face._

_"Black!" She cried, looking at the fallen body on the floor, herself collapsing to her knees. "Black, get up," she prodded, patting his face that was cold, gaunt like, moving back his black mane that covered his face like a veil. Her eyes now revolting at the look of his torso, a bloody outline seeping through his shirt. She repeated prodding him, shaking his head. What was Sirius Black doing out in the forest? She and James where to make sure no one was there and now here lay James' best friend unconscious and bleeding. _

_She called out for help, but no one came. She cast her wand around more, and to her horror, saw more bodies spewed across the floor like Black. Remus. Vera. The Prewett boys. Edgar Bones. Orion and Marlene McKinnon. All thrown across the forest floor as though they were fallen dolls, or puppets whose strings had been cut. All spread eagle, facing the skies, jagged outlines of blood coming from their torsos. Episky didn't work, the Revival charms, the healing incantations she had learned, even the spells the Ministry had put out in a pamphlet last summer, nothing could bring them back or stop the bleeding. She stumbled, traveling between people when she found another._

_He was spread on the back, just as the others but his arms at both his side as though he had just fallen asleep. His glasses where lopsided on his face, the way his smile usually was. "Potter," she started, stroking his head as she tried her charms, trying to stop the bleeding of his torso. "James, wake up," she begged in the empty forest, the air now thick with the rusty smell of blood. It wasn't supposed to end up this way. He was supposed to bother her to death. She had envisioned Elderly Homes where James would jinx her dentures or conjure her hair blue. They weren't to go out this way... it couldn't be...this couldn't be real..._

_Then she noticed a touch to her arm, his hand limply resting on hers. His hazel eyes flickering up at her, a thin film starting to claim the smile behind them. "Lily," his voice gurgled as though there was something they both feared rising between them. "Li-lee."_

_"Yes, yes it's Lily," she grinned, her hand crushing his out of relief. He was conscious, it was going to be ok...it had to be ok... "It's Lily, you're going to be okay James. It's going to be alright," she lied, and he believed her just as much as the spear twisting her insides as he cocked that familiar smile._

_"You need t-to go Li-ly," he whispered, focusing his distant eyes on her, his fingers strengthening just a bit, doing all they could to squeeze her hand. "I need to go."_

_"James," something was attacking her eyes, some water was to her great surprise, was fighting its way down her cheeks. "James stay with me," she started, her voice uneven, the discomfort in her stomach growing stronger. His hands where cold. His eyes were cold. She was cold. "Potter, don't you dare go anywhere. I swear, I'll kill you if you do, understand? I mean it."_

_"Now that's t-the Evans I know," the gurgling words of death continued from his white chapped lips "Get up Lily-Wake up L-i, Lily...Go L-Lily."_

"Lily, wake up!" A loud, high voice screeched, calling her out of the massacre in the forest. "Lily Evans!" A pillow suddenly hit her face as she continued to feel her body shake. A thin layer of sweat beading her forehead as her heart raced within her. "Thank heavens-I think you where having a nightmare, or a date, with James Potter," the voice of Vera sighed brushing back a stray hair that had escaped her pink foam curlers. Lily blinked a few times, taking in the scene.

"Nightmare," she explained thru staggered pants, breaking out of the worry that had all but consumed her. It was just a nightmare. Everything was all right. She was safe in her dormitory with Vera. She looked to the bed next to her, Mary MacDonald must have already gone down for breakfast. Both of the remaining girls-she and Vera-where in their nightclothes and the dim light of morning piercing through the windowpane. A warm healthy glow came from the flittering flames in the torches above them. All had to be well.

It had all been a nightmare. Vera was alive, no blood on her night shirt, so she could only assume the same for Sirius, Remus, and of course, James, probably still safely tucked in bed. _They're all right, _a little part of her breathed; _it was all just a dream. _

"He didn't serenade you again did he?" Vera asked as she sat in front of her mirror, taking out the foam curlers one at a time while her wand was applying her make-up.

"Pardon?" She asked, her heartbeat growing calmer, the pain in her gut gone.

'Potter," Vera smiled, turning around to look at her friend. "Was it the nightmare where he was serenading you in the library again? One of those silly Muggle songs?"

"Something like that" Lily lied, swinging her feet over the bed and closing her eyes as the cold stone embraced her bare feet. _If only it was the nightmare with James singing a Beetles song. She would've transfigured him into a beetle. _She knew how to respond to that kind of nightmare, just fight it with humor. But last night, a chill ran through her body, everyone she knew, save Peter Pettigrew for some reason, had been dead or dying in the forest. There was nothing humorous about that.

But the continuing chatter of Vera kept pulling her up and out of the fours. "If I've told Sirius once I've told him a thousand times-singing isn't one of the natural talents of James Potter," she bubbled on merrily. "Don't you worry, I think I've dropped enough hints, you should be spared a musical massacre for good."

"Oh it was a massacre alright," the dreamer murmured, as she pulled on her Saturday clothes. The blood was still in her mind; she had to do a double take at her hand to after she grabbed her Gryffindor Scarf of Red and Gold. _It was just a dream, just a dream...take it easy Evans-you need to stop reading the Prophet before you go to bed. Just take it easy. Think happy, free thoughts. Free like a bird...free like a snitch... snitch . . . _

"Oi, Vera-you don't happen to have face paint do you?"

"Has the Inferno ceased," Vera inquired, turning her head so quickly that her curly hair whipped her in the face, "Is Lily Evans going to a Quidditch Match?"

"Oh stop," she laughed, " I just might come by the game if I have time..." Today was the first Gryffindor game of the Quidditch Season. She had caught up with all her work, and was halfway finished with her midterm essay for Sprout and McGonagall; she could afford to miss one Saturday morning from the Library. Perhaps her "pride" as James had called it, could stand being in his egocentric presence. Just for a few hours after all.

"What's brought the change of heart?" The voice behind the curly mop asked, giving Lily a puzzled look, hoping that somehow what had changed.

She shrugged her shoulders as she pulled her hair back. "Nothing-I've just realized there's more than the top layer to him. Potter's a complex person," she explained while giving a dirty look to her friend.

"James Potter complex? Who are you and what have you done to Lily Evans?" Lily's scowl deepened in the realization that her entire morning had been nothing short of a comedy for Vera. She wasn't quiet sure she wanted to endure a full morning devoted to Potter- he had already given her a restless nights sleep. But she _wanted_ to go to the game, because, somewhere deep in the complexity that was James Potter, she had seen he was stubborn, arrogant and times foolish but she had also seen how he was loyal, proud and sincere . . .

"I just want to go to a game Vera," she said for a last time, "That's it. It's not a crime."

"Whatever you say Lily," the curly top witch giggled as she changed into her own Gryffindor spirit wear. "Just promise me that the next trip to Hogsmeade, you tell me what drink you and James had. I think Sirius and I could do with a cup of whatever that was," and before Lily could think of a quick enough retaliation, her friend gave yet another laugh as she bounced her curls and returned to getting ready. "Lily Evans, quickly on her way to becoming the latest member of the James Potter Fan Club."

Retaliation was found as an emerald pillow whizzed through the air, like testing her reflexes, Lily Evans' knee had just popped. Some membership, Lily thought, was better not extended, even if perhaps secretly, it was slowly becoming more desired.

* * *

((*))

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Sitting from their usual spot on the Gryffindor table, Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs were surrounded by the usual mountains of food supplied by the Hogwarts house elves, Sirius still filling his plate glancing as James put marmalade on his toast before sprinkling the top with dry oatmeal then finally dipping it in his syrup.

"Prongs, I'm you're best mate, but I have to tell you today as I have for the past 5 years-that looks absolutely revolting," Sirius cringed looking at the destroyed toast as he himself scooped scrambled eggs onto his platter.

"Ah, but there is where you're wrong Paddy," James smiled taking a full bite. "This is the traditional first match of the season toast. All I need to do is eat one of these and we're assured victory."

"James, you're one of the best chaser's Hogwarts has had this decade and every year you go through this 'traditional breakfast' garbage," Sirius continued. "Why don't you quit with the superstions and find a better one? Maybe get a good snog the night before or even prank the other team or something other then this." He gestured towards the toast with a disgusted expression.

"While the snog is tempting, this," James said, shaking his peculiar toast, "this is the Potter secret to perfection. Four Generations of Potters have played on the Gryffindor Quidditch team and each Generation adds something to make it lucky. Someday my sons will eat this very dish with something they've added. It's tradition."

"Heaven help the future spawn of Potter," Sirius shivered, "As Godfather-elect, I'll teach them the one great and noble traditions of the Blacks."

"What's that?" Remus inquired looking up from his morning sausage.

"Easy, rebellion is often the only key to happiness," Sirius smiled, pouring his pumpkin juice with one hand as he opened his copy of the Daily Prophet with the other.

"Just make sure the spawn of Potter eats toast and all's well. Weather report today Padfoot?" James asked, setting the toast down for a moment. "The ceiling seems undecided, can't wait to hear the report from the Weather Wizard..." he sighed, giving a cold look to the grey clouds, the assumed unforgiving chill and the whistling wind ravaged through the window panes. Fall had been too short lived, he thought, and with the cold kiss of winter weather fast approaching, James was all but excited about the conditions he could have to endure during that morning's match.

"Looks like it's going to be another cold one," Sirius answered before snickering, "Not as cold as Evans was last term, but not as warm as she is quiet yet"

Moony rolled his eyes, "It'll be very cold this morning, but the wind shouldn't pick up till later this afternoon Prongs. Now Padfoot, never compare the weather to a woman's emotions. It's bad luck."

"But Moony," Sirius started, rolling his eyes while grabbing some bacon from Wormtail's platter of a plate, "what' the difference? Both of them are never consistent, they tell you one thing one day and change their mind five minutes later, they change at the drop of a hat...and both are rather mean if you don't like what their doing. Oi! _Not the hair, _Prongs!" he cried, patting down his hair that James had hexed wavy. "All hair hexes are reserved for Snivillus-what's up with you Prongs?"

"It was either a hair hex or charming Pumpkin juice down your shirt," James smirked, taking the paper to get a good look of the weather forecast for himself. Sirius was right, it was another cold day, and with his altitude during the game he'd be even colder. _Damn weather, _he thought, turning his eyes aside from the forecast but then glancing at the big bold print opposite. A picture showed the sinister high eyebrows and chilling face that sent shivers thru James' body before the words confirmed them.

"_Greyback attacks Tinsworth," _James murmured setting down the paper and looking at Remus. "I think you're right Moony, Lord Thingy is going to extend an invitation to him."

"Cheww 'ho?" Peter asked, swallowing his scrambled eggs, watching Moony's face loose what color it had regained since the last full moon. " _Fenir Greyback attacks three children in the Wizard Settlement of Tinsworth in Northern England. The children, two young wizards and a muggle girl where attacked as they made their way home from their school yesterday afternoon. The two boys where immediately taken to St. Mungos to receive treatment and be observed for possible werewolf contamination. The young muggle girl died from her injuries; the attack is being described to Muggles as an attack by a wild dog . . ."_

"Why do they always blame us dogs?" Sirius grumbled, looking over the article after Remus had finished reading it. "For all we know it could've been a bear. But do they ever blame a bear? No it's always-"

"Regardless of who they blame, two boys are in St. Mungos and a little girl is in her grave," Moony growled, turning his grimace from Sirius to James. "Have you heard from Frank or the Prewetts yet? I hate not knowing how we can help stop this," he gestured looking at the now disheveled newspaper. "How do they expect us to worry over N.E. and Quidditch when there is a line of Murderers all over the country killing innocent people?"

"I haven't heard from either of them yet," James, whispered, "But Alice's parents are coming over for my Mum's New Years bonanza. I'm pretty sure Alice will come and where Alice goes, Frank usually follows."

Moony set his hands to his temples again as though he was experiencing a foul headache. "James, that's a month and a half away; do you have any idea how many more children Greyback could get to? We need to do something sooner then that."

"Whatever resistance Frank, Gideon and Fabian are in, they're not going to take us till we're out of here," James started, whispering between the four of them. "We need to make contact with them soon, but we can expect them to have us do anything till after we are out of Hogwarts."

"Hogwash," sparked Sirius, "If Reggie is playing tea parties with Snape, Macnair and Lucius Malfoy, you can bet that they're finding Death Eater jobs in the castle. Why do we have to play pretend to the obvious?"

"Write another letter then" James said, rising from the table. "You write it Remus. Try and make it safe if it gets intercepted. Tell Frank-"

"Serpents are near the pig's pen," Sirius laughed with a smirk. "He should be able to decipher that with all this auror training."

"Just write something other then that," James started with a grin, "Have to go rally the troops, see you at the game?" He got three collective nods and started heading towards the entry to the Great Hall, the remainder of the Gryffindor Quidditch team automatically rising from their half eaten breakfasts and barely touched pumpkin juice to follow their captain. Just as he was about to turn out of the hall he felt someone almost turn into him.

"'Morning Evans," he greeted with a smile, looking down at the startled Lily, her face in a pony tail with what looked like a miniature Gryffindor lion painted on her cheek. "It's a good thing I'm not a seeker, my eyes are playing tricks on me."

Leaning against the wall, she rolled her eyes. "And why would that be Potter? I know you have awful eyesight..."

"Well, my awful eyes are telling me there's a lion on your cheek. Trying to show the Library books what house you're in?" He inquired, watching the emeralds he loved so much roll as her cheeks burned.

"For your information Potter, I hear this is how someone shows house pride," she smarted trying to hold back her amusement at his growing smirk.

"You almost have it," James said, bending down to get a good look at the Lion, "But something's missing," he prodded, his thumb lightly grazing over her cheek and then pulling away slightly scratching his chin.

"And what pray tell would that be?" she asked, her fingers jumping to where he had just touched. It was tingling. _What is he playing at touching your face? _She thought to herself, waiting for him to respond. _Who does he think he is that he can just touch your cheek like that? And why did it feel like a butterfly's touch? Chasers have tough hands, not butterfly wings...soft, warm, barely there…_

He shook his head and gave faint grin. "My mistake, you know my eye sight. Now, it looks perfect. Hope to see you out of the Library, Evans," he said as he walked away with a wink. She bobbed her head as in agreement, not quiet sure what she was to respond with. She kept walking in to the Great Hall, finding her spot between Remus and Vera.

It was Sirius who pointed it out, looking at her cheek and then snorting back whatever he had just put in his mouth Looking at her as though he had been whacked with a bludger's bat over the head, "Nice Lion," he laughed nudging Vera, whose own eyes had grown wide as a smile willed its way on her face.

"Well, Lily," she started, going through her bag and pulling out her compact mirror, "I like what you did what that Lion, did you just do that now or was it like that when we left Gryffindor Tower and I didn't notice?"

With fumbling fingers Lily opened a handheld mirror, holding it up to see what she had thought was just one lion. Instead, there was the lion but now with a Cleansweep under it, and along the twigs of the broom, a blazing red quaffle with a number written on it. Lily felt her eyes grow wide and crick form in her neck after she glanced down the Gryffindor table to find sixth year Lena Arnold, head to toe in Gryffindor Red, gossiping with her friends. There on her cheek, Lily saw it. A blazing number on her own painted face, the same number she always painted, and now the same number on Lily's cheek.

Lily looked back to her reflection in the compact mirror, ignoring the snorts of laughter coming from Sirius and Peter.

Blood rushing to her cheeks, she thought back to her dream. She needed to hold him alright, preferably in a headlock. Jinx him, perhaps even hex him out of the sky. Her eyes returned to the Quaffle with his number, still shining amidst her Quaffle color blush.

"_Bloody Butterflies."_

_

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_

An: Alright- I'm a sucker for most things when it comes to writing, and dream sequences is one of those things. But this will come back later in the tale so keep it in your brain. As always, thank you to you wonderful reviewers, adders, and passer bys. And also special thanks to SarCoops for betaing this, as well as the past chapter. Remember, all complaints, complements, and other memos either review or PM. :) - KH


	9. The Possible Dream

An:Thank you all for the adding/favoriting/and reviewing this past week. It's really made my week. Anyway, I'll apologize before hand, Quidditch (I believe) is one of the hardest things to write. I've done my best and hope it turns out alright. Thank you again to SarCoops for betaing (and Vicky19915 for offering! Someday i'll shoot you a chapter v, watch out!).

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The Possible Dream

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"_And welcome to the first match of the season Gryffindor __versus __Ravenclaw,"_ the loud, booming voice of Robert Gerhard echoed across the pitch. Lily stood wide eyed looking at all the students, the bright banners and chants, still struggling to believe she had boycotted most Quidditch matches the past two years. A sudden rush of red and blue indicated the players entrance as they flew in formation hovering near by as Madame Hooch administered the coin toss between the two rival Quidditch enthusiasts, Potter and Wood. _"Coin toss won by Gryffindor Captain James Potter, Gryffindor gets get possession and the game begins. _

"_Potter takes full advantage of the toss and passes to fellow Chaser Helena Van Zloot, can van Zloot van shoot into the van hoop?"_

"Gerhard, this is no time to practice your comedy show," the weary voice of Professor McGonagall sounded. "If you're not going to do the job properly-"

"_Right professor—Van Zloot intercepted by Ravenclaw Chaser, Chelsy Sipp. Sipp headed to Gryffindor Keeper Alan Putman—and intercepted by James Potter who's tearing up the pitch and headed to Ravenclaw's hoop. Wood's drifting—get it, Driftwood?"_

"Gerhard! This is Quidditch, not Zonkos!"

"Is it always this bad a commentary?" Lily asked Remus who gave a shrug as he squinted up at the sky, rubbing his hands together to the fight the morning chill. "He's wheeled himself in a bit from last year. During Hufflepuff and Slytherin's winter match he did nothing but badger jokes—you'd think he would've done his own house justice," a thundering _DING_ rang thru the air as the people around them erupted in a lion's roar watching James as he soared above the Gryffindor stands on his Cleansweep before returning to the match.

"There's the Potter I know," Lily smirked, watching him go after a Ravenclaw after saluting some third year girls on the front row who had been waving posters but were now collapsed in a swoon.

"And the Potter I know would appreciate if you two could quiet down," Sirius grumbled standing in front of the two and beside Vera. "It's hard enough to focus on the game with this fool of a commentator, I don't need a Wizard's Digest from Mr. and Miss. Academia if you please," he turned to face them and stress his seriousness. "Quidditch, is the most holy of holy acts a man can participate in this world. To interrupt a Quidditch match is to commit..."

"Oh shush you," Vera started hitting his arm, "You're missing the game..."

"You know Sirius, if it wasn't for that prank you pulled on McGonagall at the beginning of sixth year, she probably would've kept you as commentator," Remus chuckled, keeping his eyes on the sky.

"Minnie has no sense of humor whatsoever," the put out Padfoot murmured as he returned to his gaze to the red in the sky. "She and I both knowI wasn't the one who charmed those bludgers after those Slytherin gits... and even if I _did,_ it would've served them right for hexing Katie."

_"Potter passes Quaffle to Kate McFlaggin, whose been laggin' the past few games on scoring. Looks like she could turn it around in this game and…"_

A chorus of boos rang out from the Gryffindor benches as Keiko Mai's bludger flipped Kate from her broom. _"Mai gets the Quaffle for Ravenclaw... Teammate Phil Chang __works __off Mai's play and heads towards Gryffindor Keeper. I hear there's a galleon lotto going on in Ravenclaw for when Chang's going to make a play on Mai...judging by that move…" _

"Gerhard, for the love of Puddlemere, the Game...Focus on the GAME!"

"_Yes Professor. Chang misses the mark on Putman's Hoops, but there's a penalty being called on the opposite side of the pitch after Gryffindor Beater Annie Haddix takes a shot for the commentator stand. Hell Haddix, no need to get the ax out..."_

_"_Gerhard-one more thing from you and I swear.."

"Praise Merlin, Thomas has seen the snitch!" Sirius cried pointing to the northern edge of the pitch. Lily, along with the rest of those who had heard Sirius exuberant cry turned to watch Marlin Thomas executing figures of eight in the air, circling the long wooden towers before disappearing higher into the air, Ravenclaw seeker Alexi Rothenshal on his tail. While the fate of the match was being decided up in the wintery clouds, the battle was still raging on with the Chasers and their war for the Quaffle.

Lily kept her eyes on James who had scored another five times, making her secretly happy that Thomas was taking so long to get the snitch. Through the binoculars that she would borrow every now and then from Remus, she couldn't help but notice how _attractive_ James was riding his broom. He rode so smoothly, the wind ruffling his hair while his Quidditch Robes rippled around him and though he wasn't smiling his usual smile, there was something about him in the way he played, in the way he zoomed from opposite ends of the pitch, he seemed as happy as she could ever remember seeing him.

"The Seeker's up there," Remus murmured, nudging her side as she looked at the south end of the pitch where James was going after Phil Chang.

"Oh, right," she answered quickly, moving her gaze rather unwillingly higher into the skies as Thomas emerged from the cloud cover, an ivory smile shining from his face as he held the struggling golden orb.

"_And Gryffindor wins, 220 to 60. Remember, all those interested in participating in commentary please speak to your Heads of Houses immediately," _Professor McGonagall announced coldly, ignoring the rambling banter of Gerhard as she closed the commentating for the day. Lily paid no notice to the disdain in her head of houses voice; as her body propelled her down the steps on auto pilot, following every one else down, out of the stands to meet the players. As she grew closer she could see the Marauders, already assembled at James' side.

"How do they get there so bloody quick?" She asked herself aloud, looking back at the stands that where still in the act of dispersing.

"Marauders are drawn to each other like magnets," Vera answered at her side. "You'd think they where being chased by Death Eaters they find each other so quickly."

"I'll say, and if they didn't run so fast, the Quidditch fan girls might beat them to it," Lily prodded, looking at the group of girls that where assembling around the Gryffindor players, Lena Arnold at the front of the emerging sea of red.

She could hear Sirius calling for a party in the Common Room and watched as James looked over the sea of red to find her, the crooked grin plastered to his face with the gleam of Quidditch euphoria still twinkling in his eyes. Lily couldn't seem to suppress her smile; the knife that usually bothered her about James was now a warm tingling feeling that was spreading through her.

Perhaps a Saturday of studying could be lost, perhaps getting on to him about his face paint could be dismissed.

And perhaps, following the public celebration in the common room, she could pass on her own congratulations. After all, Quidditch victory or not, the Head Boy still had a tour of duty that evening.

* * *

((*))

* * *

Judging by the late hour, a passer by would've thought that Gryffindor had won the cup that very morning. As soon as the mass of students had returned to the tower, they had descended upon the Common Room that had already been prepared with stacks of Cauldron Cakes, Chocolate Broomsticks and Sizzling-Hot Snitches flooding the tables. At first, Lily had wondered how it had all gotten there, but then saw the answer within a red faced Peter Pettigrew and Remus Lupin who where casually smiling as they passed bottles of Butterbeer to the incoming Gryffindors.

As the swarm assembled, Lily had watched in amused horror as Sirius rose and stood on a table nearest the fireplace, the instant chatter of the scarlet sea hushing at his attention. Raising his bottle and clearing his throat, he began his customary speech.

"Today, my jolly Gryffindor friends, marks the beginning of yet another march to victory!" He declared holding his bottle high. "We'll endure the months of Slytherin slander, but don't worry, we'll throttle them both on and off the pitch! We'll pummel them out of the sky with our hell of a set a Beaters Annie Haddix and Simon Massie!" A ripple of applause sounded at their names, a slight joy beaming from the bowing beaters. " We'll steal all hopes they might have for victory in our seeker Marlin Thomas! We'll crush their dreams with our unyielding Keeper Alan Putman!" Lily smiled as the clapping grew louder, "Not that they'll be able to get to the hoops with our Chasers holding the ball every time they get! They don't make better chasers than Van Zloot, McFlaggin and of course-our captain for the third consecutive year, James Potter!"

The applause erupted as it had in the stands and Sirius finished his toast, officially beginning the party that had, according to Lily's watch, now seeped into the early evening. She had had every intention to go and congratulate James on his game but every time they had even come close to crossing paths, someone would steal them away from the other. A young Roman Vane had just emerged from his dormitory with a radio and was now blasting music, adding fuel to the burning fever of the Gryffindor victory.

She had lost track of Vera but was sure wherever she was, she was either busy gossiping with Mary or off 'bonding' with Sirius. Slipping away from the main hub of the party, she found Remus who looked as though he too had experienced his fill of the main line party and was sitting in a chair along the wall.

"Had your fill have you?" Lily asked as she fell into the seat next to him.

"What?" He yelled, "I can't hear-the bloody music..."

"I SAID-" she started, but shook her head with no avail. "I can't think straight-want to go outside?" She asked motioning her head towards the portrait hole. Remus must have understood as he got up and followed her out of the packed tower, holding the door open a tad bit longer as she caught the faint glimpse of Sirius shoes walking disembodied down the corridor.

A smile snuck its way back to her face for what seemed to be the hundredth time that day. "And all's right again with the universe," Lily sighed as she and Remus emerged into the corridor, "Potter's back in there with the girls fawning over his latest Quidditch victory while Sirius is sneaking back to the kitchens under the cloak to get another five hours worth of food."

"You know, you aren't the Lily I first became friends with," Remus stated as they sat down at a bench near the statue of Gwyneth the Ghoulish on the seventh floor, a sneaky smile rising on his face.

"What do you mean," she asked, alarmed. " I'm still me, I haven't changed any."

"Not that you can see," he jested, the smile now filling his usually empty face. "The Lily I used to know wouldn't have just admitted that she knew Sirius was down raiding the kitchens and sit on the side letting him."

"You think I should go give him detention?" Lily asked knitting her brow together, "I suppose we could, but—"

"But he and James aren't as bad as you used to think they were, are they?" He asked grin still in place.

"You always got the best marks in Divination," she laughed as he rolled his eyes.

"You all say that, but I loathed that class just as much as the rest of you-and my O.W.L shows it," Remus protested.

"Regardless," Lily started, her smile slowly fading, "You're right, for James at least. I haven't made a final ruling on Sirius, but James is definitely more than I first made him out to be."

"Another thing I never thought I'd hear you say," Remus chuckled shaking his head. "See? I told you, you aren't the same Lily that boarded the Hogwarts Express."

She looked at him again, this time concerned. Had Potter changed her _that_ much? Had she grown…_soft_? No, surely not, she wasn't hard to begin with.

"What do you mean Remus?"

He could see that his words had bothered her, "Not in a bad way Lily, if anything its good. The Lily Evans that had started this term would've jumped at anything that could get James off Head Boy duty . . . such as sharing with the Professors he had become an illegal Animagus…"

"I wouldn't do that," she interrupted, a flush of red glowing on her cheeks. "Well, maybe I had thought about it at first, when we first got out of the forest, but not after he explained _why_ he did it. He didn't do it for himself, but for a friend." Her eyes grew hard, as she looked at him hesitatingly, unprepared for the knife that would twist in her if he had lied.

"He told me the truth right? He did become an Animagus to help you with _your _transformations, right?"

"He didn't lie," Remus answered clearly, not breaking eye contact with the relieved Lily. "He created _his _furry little problem to help me with _mine._"

A wave of relief swept over her. "If he had become an Animagus for any other reason, maybe I would've turned him in; but it was an act of selflessness. How could I betray him for that?"

"Is that what's turned you around?" Remus asked with care, making note to pay attention to her expression more than her words.

"I don't know," she answered honestly, turning her head towards the direction of Gryffindor tower. "I had always loathed him because he was stubborn, and arrogant…but now, I don't know how to explain it Remus, it's like I'm seeing a new person and the other person I've known for years is melting away. You've known him Remus, am I seeing James for the first time?"

"James has been one of my best friends since I came to Hogwarts," he began, resting his arms on his legs. "While I'll admit he's had his moments that have certainly lacked in judgment, he's always been a good friend. One that you can trust, and one that I've always been able to count on. I sometimes think he trusts us more then he should, but once you're James's friend he holds you in the highest of confidences."

_Could you trust a toe rag? _She thought for a moment, _No, you wouldn't want to trust a rag, but if the rag actually wasn't a rag, but actually a person, -and a good person at that, then you'd want to trust them...and you'd want them to trust you too..._

_But what if that Rag-Friend-Person...What if you grew close to them and started feeling things for them only to see them get cut down..._the chill of her nightmare still haunting her.

"Lily, is there anything else that's bothering you?" Remus asked noticing the shiver, he knew it was cold outside, but the House Elves had gone into over drive in baking and using the ovens, it'd take an ice age to cool Hogwarts down.

"There's just one last thing I have to ask you," Lily started, playing with her slender fingers in hopes to turn her worries away. "It's really stupid and I don't know why it's bothering me…"

"Have you talked to Vera about it?" Remus asked hesitantly, as though he was stepping into the minefield that was female emotions. "She's probably a better talker than I am in things like this..."

"It would have worried her too much," she answered, shaking her head. "No need to trouble her too."

He watched as she attempted to distract herself. "Well, as one of your friends, I don't want it to trouble you. Go ahead, what is it?"

Lily bit down on her lip slightly, still debating if she ought to disclose _this_ with Remus. _What could it hurt?_ She thought, _if anything, it might help you sleep better tonight. _"I had this dream last night—a dream with James."

His face shifted from amused to disturbed with the last three words of her sentence. Carefully, he gently raised his inquiry. "Ah…there wasn't any snogging in this dream was there Lily? I don't think I'm the one to hear that…"

"Oh, oh Merlin no," Lily started, her face turning as though the thought was a tart lemon on her tongue, she may have grown a little fonder about James than she once thought possible, but _that _sort of dream-and discussing that with a living person? - _Merlin, not yet_

"No. I was walking through the forest trying to find him; we had gotten separated on Hogsmeade duty. I kept looking, and looking and finally, just as the sun went down I-," she struggled _how do I say I found all our friends dead?_

"And you found him?" Her friend offered helpfully.

_Blunt honesty, always best with Marauder's. _"Only after I had found the rest of you dead," she blurted out, her hands pinching her head. "I tried everything. Went to each person, but there was nothing I could do, I couldn't revive anyone…The Prewetts, The McKinnons, the Bones, Sirius, you, Vera—"

"It's okay, it was just a dream," Remus said, offering his calm confidence despite the fleeting color from his face, pale as the moon. "What happened when you found James?"

"At first, he was the same as the others: Not responsive, a bleeding gash on his torso, just lying like a dead man on the floor. I kept telling him he wasn't allowed to leave, that I wouldn't let him leave. He heard me and was trying to talk to me but he told me he had to go. I kept fighting with him. I kept begging him to stay and then Vera woke me up."

"Hmm," Remus started, looking at the floor in deep thought for a long moment before turning up to her. "If I was a guessing man, I'd say that you're worried about coming close to someone like James because there's Dark magic that could take him away."

_I wasn't expecting that-_"What?"

"You're a smart girl Lily," Remus started. "You read the paper. You've seen familiar names pop up in the Daily Prophet Obituaries. We've lost people we cared about to Voldemort. Lucinda and Harvey Abbott, Sam Fergueson, Nicolette Fairchild wasn't the first, nor will she be the last classmate we lose," he said gently in an almost reverence for the small Hufflepuff with her long golden braids that had been in their class before failing to return for her last year.

"Now, you've lost relationships by accepting magic, you left friends and lost a relationship with your sister because of it. I think that this dream is warning you that you can still lose people close to you. What more," Remus said finally, straightening up a bit, "I personally believe this dream is your self conscious recognizing that James is the sort of person you'd_ like _to grow closer to in forms of friendship, but it's also recognizing that if you were to, as you say, lose him, you worry what that would do to you."

"I never thought I'd miss my dreams of him serenading me in the library," she finally responded. "Leave it to James to mess with my consciousness."

"What did I do now?" A voice asked as it's owner turned the corner. Now wearing a loose red shirt and his blue jeans, he had escaped the party in Gryffindor tower and a few of the P.A.C members to find Lily chatting with Remus on a corridor bench, just as Sirius had told him he would when he returned from the kitchen under the cloak.

Whatever they ha been talking about, he couldn't help but notice there was the shadow of a worry fleeing from her face as a smile forced its way.

"Nothing," she responded all too quickly, "Although, I was hoping you could explain to me how I'm supposed to get this bloody quaffle off my cheek, I've tried everything and it won't come off," she finished bemused.

"Ah, so you didn't tell her Moony?" James snickered, looking at his friend with an impish smirk.

"I'm going back to the Common Room," Remus stated, standing up with his arms raised, looking at Lily, "Once again Lily, I know nothing," he winked before turning up the stairs.

"What didn't he tell me?" Lily badgered again, her eyes fixed on his. "So help me James Potter…"

"Would it kill you to not say my name as though it's a plague?" he asked, taking Remus' seat next to her. "James isn't greek for _'Death Cometh.'_"

"How would you like me to say it, James?" she asked, carrying the last syllabus of his name out till she sounded like a snake.

"Not like that…. Normally. Like I'm just anyone."

"Alright—_James,_" she said gently, her emerald eyes staring up at him pleadingly, "James, dear James Potter—"

"Normally Evans…" he said shaking his head in attempts to shake her silliness out with it.

"James," she tried again, a smile forming on her mouth as she did. "Could you be a dear and get this ruddy Quaffle off my face?"

"See? Was that too hard?" He grinned, looking down at her merrily, looking down at the face he loved best, the annoyed, yet amused, Lily Evans. "Well that can come off two ways. Way One, you let me kiss it off…"

"Potter!" A shadow of the Evans tantrum glowed in her face.

"Easy there, remember, I'm a stag not a rat…" _Unlike some, _he thought slyly.

"Fine, James!" she repeated, her tone growing a little more annoyed than he had anticipated.

"Better, so it's either a kiss on your cheek, or you just let me do this," James sighed, obviously hoping for option one, but not minding option two as he licked his thumb and started rubbing it against the blazing quaffle.

"Ew-Potter gah," she shuddered, trying to move away from his touch. "Is their any option that doesn't involve you physically assaulting my cheek?"

"Well, no option now. Your 'Bloody, Ruddy Quaffle's' gone," he said rather pleased with himself "It wouldn't have been so bad if you just let me kiss it off."

" Oh like that would work," she muttered, playfully rolling her eyes. "You're sure it's gone? Just like that?" She asked as she stood up, her hand grazing over where James thumb had attacked her.

"Just like that," he responded amused, "Let this be a lesson to you Evans, never underestimate the power of a good ol' spit shine."

"You're impossible James Potter," Lily groaned, slightly slapping his forearm as they turned the corner towards Gryffindor Tower.

_Oh but someday, option one will be possible, _James thought to himself as he opened the portrait hole. Perhaps six years of pursuing Lily was actually leading to something and Operation No Plan was becoming the most successful plan never constructed.

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An: Okay guys, you should know the drill by this point. Just as with any other chapter, please feel free to express questions comments or concerns via pm's or reviewing. Reviews are like birthday presents for fanfic writers. We don't want to ask, but we still look forward to them. If you have a minute, it's very much appreciated. But all the same, don't quit this story because the writer's begging for a review.

One more note, if you're looking for another, very good story about James and Lily, check out SarCoops Fair Accompi. It's pretty darn good and trust me, when the time comes, you're going to Love Sirius. If you're interested, check out my link in 'Favorite Stories.'

Till next week~KH.


	10. Going Stag

AN: Thank you to SarCoops for beating this chapter and also, as always, thank you for all the lovely feedback and helpful advice guys. I really can't express my appreciation for the reviews/adding/favorites this story has brought around. All y'all are amazing. Enjoy Chapter 10!-KH

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Going Stag

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The sweeping chill of November only deepened as the weeks and term progressed towards the Christmas break. Within days of the Gryffindor-Ravenclaw match, snow drifts had swallowed the surrounding hills while a thick layer of ice now claimed the Black Lake, the Giant Squid separated from students thanks to four meters worth of ice.

Despite the frigid air that was attacking the school from the outside, as well as the constant threat of approaching N.E.W.T's that came from within, holiday fever appeared to be the only thing consuming the student's mind. For several people, the simple knowledge that within two weeks time they would be walking into a carriage destined for the Hogwarts Express, and not into the chilly dungeons for Potions Class, was enough to get through the next few days. After all, that morning Hagrid had begun to carry in the twelve Christmas Trees for the Great Hall and even the most studious of students couldn't help but smile at the prospect of the looming festivities.

With the ringing of the bell that marked the end of Potions, even Lily let out a smile. While she always enjoyed going to Potions, she was rather excited to be getting out of the Dungeons and up to the warmth of the Great Hall where she could watch the snow from the enchanted ceiling. Perhaps Professor Flitwick and the Charms Club had finished decorating the trees and they'd be ready for dinner...or better yet, perhaps some of the House Elves had put the Christmas Dressings up in the Common Rooms. Hogwarts, Lily thought, was always at its best during the Holidays. She tried not think of her disappointment in knowing that this was her last Christmas at the castle...no, it was better to just forget that detail, next Christmas though...

"Oh, Miss Evans, could I have a word?" Professor Slughorn asked, pulling her out of her thoughts. She snapped back to her surroundings, the class was filtering through the door, the cauldrons' now put back in their place and the glistening vials of their Memory Enhancement Potions sorted into the racks. Only the Maunders, Vera and the Potion Master were left lingering in the room.

"Way to go Evans," Sirius snickered as the remaining Gryffindors gathered their belongings to follow the class out, all bolting to escape the dungeons for the warm fires and sweet smelling fir trees that surely lined the halls "A sickle says he's going to ask which you'd prefer, a gold or bronze statue of yourself."

"Oh leave her be," James scoffed, pushing his friends a head of him. He waited for Sirius to get closer to the doorway when he gave her a slight nudge with a smile, "Although if he gives you the choice Evans, go for gold, only the best, and it'll compliment you nicely."

"Thanks Potter," she started with a bite of sarcasm, rolling her eyes. She waited for him to follow Sirius down the hallway where she was sure his friends were waiting on him and yet he was just standing there at her side, and what more, keeping his hazel eyes on her.

"Potter, I'm a big girl, I can talk to the professor on my own," she said in a stubborn whisper. The classroom was empty save for the two of them and Slughorn who was merrily milling about with his vials, apparently oblivious to the scene. "Come on, off you go. Before I give you a glowing red nose to go with the rest of the Christmas decorations."

"You don't want us to wait? We're done with classes for the day, there's no rush…" he insisted, slightly crestfallen despite her Rudolph joke. "I'll just wait outside with the guys and when you're done we can go grab something in the Great Hall…"

"I'll see you guys in a little bit. But don't wait, Poor little Peter was losing feeling in his fingers towards the end of class, now go," she shooed and waited for him to disappear out of the classroom. She had never encountered a more stubborn, more impossible person than James Potter...

But, since Lily's discussion with Remus following the Quidditch match, she had noticed herself becoming more and more all right with _impossible__. _Perhaps Remus was right and she was afraid of making another friend just to lose it again. Severus had been her best friend and then Dark Magic had consumed him, perchance she was afraid that the same would happen to James; only his consuming would leave him dead rather than a Death Eater. She had her own inner demons to battle with, that was for sure, but she wasn't going to let this fear of losing someone separate her from a new found interest in the Potter formally known as Toe Rag.

"You wanted to see me sir?" She asked, walking towards the front of the class, the Professor now putting back his catalogue of healing potions. "Yes, yes come into my office," he invited, leading the way into the emerald trimmed walls, and flicking his wand at the fireplace which suddenly began to crackle and the tea begin to boil. "Please have a seat. Care for some tea?"

_Ah, so this is a social visit, _Lily thought as she gave a hearty nod. While visiting with Slughorn wasn't her favorite thing in the world to do, she was long over due for a visit. Between all of her Head Duties and N.E.W.T classes, she had failed to make an appearance at a Slug Club meeting and her guilt was as warm as the tea now being poured into her cup.

"How has this term been for you Miss Lily? Rather busy?" He asked summoning the milk and sugar from across the room. "We've all missed you from our little gatherings but I always tell them that if anyone had a good reason for an absence, it's our Head Girl," he beamed.

"You're really to kind," she blushed, only to watch him cut her off, again.

"Oh nonsense, nonsense. You and Potter have had your arms full. A remarkable team from the way I see it too. I'm ashamed to admit it, but some of us faculty members had a little wager going on whether or not you two would last this long...but I'll be the first to say you could do far worse then James Potter," Slughorn mused, putting a lump of sugar into his teacup, a soft shimmer in his eyes. "I was afraid you wouldn't give him much of a chance, but I'm delighted that, for once, I was wrong and Minerva McGonagall was right."

_Matchmaker Slughorn, always trying to make pairs and connections, _she thought to herself as she gave her usual polite laugh, gently stirring her tea, "Yes, well I'm rather proud of that too. It would've been a downer on the year if I had strangled him the first day." _Even though he gave me every reason to do so._

Slughorn broke into his usual bits of laughter, brimming with a smile. "Ah, my dear Lily, it would've been a significant let-down if you had been carted off to Azkaban for that," he said, dabbing his eyes and slightly tossing his head as though to bring him back to whatever he had called her in for.

"Now that I've teased you about young James, Lily," he began, his focus bringing him back to her. "I just wanted to make sure that you were going to be able to attend the Christmas Party next Thursday. I know that your Head Duties have kept you from many of our meetings this year but I spoke with Professor McGonagall and she believes that the school can get by one night without your guard. I even weaseled Potter free for the evening, Professors will patrol."

"Sound's wonderful," she nodded, although she was slightly concerned why Slughorn had made such a point to express Potter would also have the night off. "I'm sorry that I've missed…"

"Oh don't worry about that Miss Lily. Like I've said you have your reasons," he told her, brushing it off as he pulled out a stack of papers from one of his drawers. "But since you weren't at the last meeting I had to ask McGonagall for your Career Advising form...you know, make sure I could hook you up with a good job come June...I haven't had a student want to work with Potions in years so it's proved rather tricky..." he could note the confused expression on her face.

"Oh you'll see, for the Seventh Year Slug Club members I try and get them in where they'd like...sort of as a Christmas gift," he looked down at the pink sheets McGonagall had scribbled on years ago and looked down again with a beam. "We look at their potential career paths and I invite those that will help be them get the better jobs. It took some work, but I've gotten one of my students from the International Potion Corps ... you'd be extremely helpful to them I believe..."

"That's very kind of you Professor," she thanked, "But I was actually thinking about getting into St. Mungo's Potion Research Institute, I don't have the stomach for a healer, but behind the scenes…"

She couldn't help but notice Slughorn's eyebrows slightly burrow. There was nothing wrong with St. Mungos, but it didn't have the same caliber of prominence as the International Potion Corps did. The IPC, ever selective on who it allowed to research with them, was currently engaged in developing potions to stop or reverse werewolf transformations...much more interesting then developing different remedies for dragon pox patients. "Yes, yes of course...we'll have to see if old Bella Cannon can help get you on with the IPC, no reason to sell yourself short...Don't worry my dear, we'll make sure you meet some people next Thursday...it'll be quiet the party, you know me-I like going out with a bang."

"Out? Aren't you coming back next year?" She asked, more puzzled at this than she was of his dislike of St. Mungo's Research Institute. She felt silly for her immediate concern, allowing a smile to come across her face. " Professor, haven't you said for years that it's your last year?"

"But this is the year," he insisted, putting her papers back in his desk before pouring more tea. "I've been at this school for nearly fifty years...do you know I was professor here when McGonagall and Hagrid attended? I've practically taught half the staff potions. I probably should've left after the Defense Against the Dark Arts position became jinxed back in 70-" he paused for a minute, hesitating as he grabbed another sugar cube for his tea. " Have I ever told you about Mrs. Slughorn?"

_There's a Mrs. Slughorn? _She wondered, trying to imagine what this witch looked like, but couldn't imagine more than a jumpy little witch with emerald robes, pearl earrings and a slight drinking problem. "No, I'm sorry I…"

"Don't feel sorry, there _isn't _a Mrs. Slughorn. No, the life of an academic is usually one of solitude. I think out of the present staff, only Minerva was ever married, and her young husband died in the muggle bombings in London back when Grindelwald was running about...and even that was years before she joined the staff."

"So you're leaving school so you can find a Mrs. Slughorn?" Lily asked confused. She had never imagined her dear Potion Master as a romantic, this was an odd thought, perhaps the cold was affecting his mind...

"Heavens no," Slughorn answered all to quickly. "I believe that ship has left my harbor and isn't coming back," he smiled, standing up from his desk and rummaging through his bookcase.

"I don't understand then sir. Hogwarts has been your home for decades and now you insist that you're leaving..."

He turned to face her, his usual, grandfatherly smile crossed the old mans face. "Miss Lily, Although I've never been married, or gone down the family path, Hogwarts has been my home and my little Slug Club, I've always thought, like the family I would've had," he returned to sit behind his desk an old, leather bound book in his hand. "And as much as I love teaching, I'd rather be sitting in the Alps than teaching children of my slugs...it'd be like teaching my grandchildren, or in some cases, _great-grandchildren_. Heavens, if I don't leave now I who knows when I will? I could be stuck here teaching _your_ children if I don't make a break for it now."

"They'd be lucky to have such a teacher like you," she answered, trying to slyly look at Professor Slughorn's magical hourglass. This chat was going a little longer than she would've liked; her classes where over for the day but she had wanted to get some good footing on her essay.

The Potion master just gave a nod, as though he had caught her though glance at the hourglass "Well, I don't want to keep you Lily dear, but just remember Thursday at 8, and bring a guest. You've been working hard, time to let your hair down and enjoy the holidays."

After thanking him for the tea, she picked up her fully loaded bag and walked out into the corridor, the ice chill of the dungeons seizing her insides.

_Invite a guest, _he had said. She didn't always know what to make out of her conversations with Slughorn. He had told her how the life of an academic was usually one of solitude...only after telling her she could do worse than Potter. _It's just the cold Lily, _she fervently thought ignoring the James Potter knife that joined the cold in messing with her insides, _he's not suggesting..._

She had always loathed the "Bring a guest" part of Slughorn's party. Her sixth year she had actually asked Remus to accompany her but the party was the day after a full moon and he was still recovering from his transformation .She had gone by herself that year, and she hadn't minded to horribly. It was just something different.

Her third, fourth and fifth year, she had always invited Severus to go with her. He was in the Slugclub as well thanks to his knack of potions. Both of them thought the parties were silly and often spent the evening trying to pull faces at the other without getting caught. Just as friends. Back before things fell apart and the dark arts consumed her first true friend. She could remember the fifth year best. He had met her outside Gryffindor tower with Christmas Flowers, insisting that even though they were going as friends, the little white, pearl like flowers would look nice in her hair. That had been on of the last times they had spent time together before the incident. Slughorns party, and their Christmas holiday had been the last time she had had her friend.

Severus didn't like going home for Christmas. Most years, he'd stay at Hogwarts unless his grandparents, the Princes, invited him to join them for the holidays. Even then, he preferred Hogwarts to his grandparents' invitation, knowing quiet well his grandmother would spend the visit lamenting over her daughter's poor choice of a husband. Their fifth year had been different though. He had originally signed up to stay for that holiday, but after Slughorn's party she saw him the next morning with his bags packed, waiting for her in the Great Hall, a wide smile on his face.

While he spent the nights at Spinner's End, he spent his days helping her prepare the Evanses house for Christmas...even taking turns with her to roll out sugar cookies and joke how when they were older, they would come together at Christmas time and use magic for that part of their holiday baking. Snowball fights, Christmas baking, stringing popcorn, an evening at the local Panto, and to Petunia's disgust, he had joined the Evanses at the dinner table that Christmas Eve.

But, just like a perfect snowfall, those days soon after melted away. Something happened in those weeks that followed Christmas. She watched Sev's free time was split between preparing for O.W.L's and Macnair, Yaxley and Malfoy. She had watched as things fell apart...

"Oi, Evans dear," a very real voice called out to her as she emerged from the Dungeons and into the Entrance Hall, "Come on, Flitwick wants us to finish decorating the fifth floor before dinner," James called out again taking his usual long strides towards her side.

"I was starting to worry Slughorn got you brewing more potions you took so long," he joked as he took her school bag from her shoulder and slipping it over his own. "What do you say we go dump this in the common room and start decking the Halls?"

Lily could only imagine how bizarre her facial expression must be. She felt as though someone had just threw a Quaffle to her stomach "James, I can take my…"

"Chivalry dear," he began to grin, only letting it be short lived as he looked at her confused expression. "Oh come on Lily, its Christmas-let a friend carry your bag?"

"Alright," she conceded, joining her stride with his. Falling into the usual rhythm of his step and his usual chatter about he and Sirius' Potions Extravaganza.

_You could always go to Slughorn's party Stag, _she thought to herself. She snuck a quick glance of James' profile, his messy hair bouncing with each step and a crooked smile etched on his face as he continued his tale. The voice in her head drowned out as it was replaced with another head voice, that sounded very familiar. _But why go stag when you can go _with a Stag...

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((*))

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Lily had certainly had better nights.

Lying awake in her bed at two in the morning, she was almost willing to trade a night full of bloody nightmares if it meant she wouldn't be awake with her brain on overdrive.

It seemed simple enough. Ask James to come with her, as friends of course, to the Slugclub Christmas party. It made all the sense in the world. He had be given the evening off from his duties, and the night before the term ended, he wouldn't be up all night studying or badgering Remus to write part of the essay for him. If anything, he would probably have dropped a few things into his trunk, pull out his invisibility cloak and run around the castle causing mayhem with the other Marauders. Really asking him was an extension of her duty, she'd be doing a service to the school. . .

She had nearly asked him while he was helping her decorate the hall Flitwick had charged them with. He had asked her what Slughorn had wanted. _What better a chance to have asked him and get it over with, _she thought to herself in bitter hindsight. But no, she had just stood there, bewitched a Father Christmas beard to a suit of armor, and insisted it was nothing more than a social visit.

If it were any other guy, Lily would have blamed it on nerves. Nervous that perhaps he'd say no, that he'd turn her down and she'd be left standing dumbly in the hallway. But this was James Potter. . .She could've asked him to give her a kidney and she'd wake up to bloody organ wrapped in a red box with gold trimming being delivered during owl post. It'd take a while for her to make him see that the invitation was extended in friendship, and not for any other reason, but regardless of the conditions, she knew he'd say yes.

Following their Christmas decorations, they had joined their friends in the Great Hall for dinner. She had done her usual routine of working on her school work before the clock chimed eleven and they walked the halls to make sure there weren't any miscreants about. Once again, this would have been the best time to ask. There weren't any crowds of people about them. It was just the two of them. She could just have asked casually, even made it more of a joke than an actual request...but again something held her back.

It was as if the Giant Squid, somewhere under the frozen waters of Hogwarts knew that she was contemplating a voluntary evening with the toe rag and the Squid was holding her voice captive out of jealousy, while her stomach was exploding with an unfamiliar flutter. Instead she just listened to him go on about Christmas at the Potter's house and how excited he was that they were spending the Holidays in muggle Salisbury-delighted with the fact that meant the family would be going to a Muggle Pantomime based on some fairy tale or another.

_What's your problem Evans? Have you gone bonkers? _When she was little, she had read stories how when a girl wanted to ask a guy something and was nervous, they usually confided their nerves in either a sister or their best friend. Lily knew quiet well that there was no way in this lifetime that Petunia would write to her at Hogwarts, let a lone write to her and give genuine advice about a boy. If hell had in fact frozen over and she did write, the advice would probably be bland and useless, "_I don't see why you're making such a big deal about this Lily. He's just a freak like you. Freaks attract don't they? Stop bothering me. I already have found someone and he is neither a freak nor someone I had to seek out. That's another lesson you need to learn Little Sister, don't seek men out, let them seek you. You don't want to be a forward little freak do you? _Oh yes, that letter would be delightful.

But then there was the second option: the best friend. Vera had gone out with many a boy during her tenure at Hogwarts. She would know what to do, and she was easily enough, in the bed right next to her own, snoozing away and enjoying the sleep that Lily so jealously desired.

Making sure she could hear Mary MacDonald's steady snores, a tell tale signs she was zonked for the night, she rolled over to the bunk opposite hers. "Vera-" Lily whispered, pulling apart her curtains. "Vera are you up? Don't make me hex you, I need advice,"

" Don't hex!" A voice croaked as the sheets rustled. "Whaaady'u need?" Vera yawned pulling back her own curtains but staying tightly wrapped in her bed sheets.

"Vera, my stomach hurts..."Lily started, "It hurts every time..."

"Just take some of those medicine candies your mum sent you. The little white candies? Two should do," Vera mumbled turning her face into the pillow. "I had some yesterday and it took my cramps...Make sure you bring more of those next term, I love those bloody little candies."

"My stomach doesn't hurt like that," Lily started, slightly amused. "It's like a knife normally but today it's fluttering…"

"You had your appendix taken out fourth year, the kidney-pie's just not settling with-with…with you," Vera yawned again. "I promise Lils two little candies and.."

"Vera, if I'm nervous about talking to a guy that doesn't mean I'm starting to be attracted to him does it?" She asked quickly, waiting to see what her friend would have to say to that. Perhaps that would be the defining factor and Vera would wake up and be of actual help. After all, Vera thrived for girly chat like that…

"You're beyond attracted at that point, you're near infatuated," Vera mumbled again. "Just make sure Potter doesn't find out and I'm sure you and Ken will be happy..."

"_K__en?_ Who the hell is Ken? Vera, wake up I need to talk to you," Lily moaned, propelling her pillow at the near slumbering friend.

"And I need beauty sleep," a voice groaned as the sheets rustled, "I stayed up till three last night working on the paper for McGonagall, and till four the night before working on those Astronomy Charts...can't it wait till morning?"

"Just tell me, should I invite Potter to the party or not?" She asked, sitting up in bed, brushing back one of her red locks and tucking it behind her ear.

Her friend gave a slumbering chuckle. "You are sick. Three of the little candies Lils, there should be some left in your trunk..."

"Vera, I'm serious-Vera?" No response and deep breathing told Lily her friend had returned to the sleep she so enviously longed for. _Some help you are,_ she thought as she lifted her legs over the side of the bed and slid into her red, furry robe, begging to be warmed by the fire. That would do the trick, she thought. Twenty minutes in front of the fire would help her get to sleep, and if not, at least she'd get a change of scenery.

She could feel the chills darting through her body as she made her way down the cold stone staircase. Looking around, the Common Room was a different world at near three in the morning. As she predicted, the House Elves had spent the day decorating the tower, stringing garland, placing stockings around the fireplace and going to erecting the Gryffindor Christmas tree on the opposite side of the room. She took in these designs with a smile as she crossed the room and fell into the chair closest to the fire, wrapping her robe around herself as though she was in a cocoon.

Tomorrow she would get a grip of herself. Tomorrow she would be back to normal. Tomorrow, she'd probably find a reason or two to call James arrogant or a bully. Tomorrow she'd talk to James.

And, if everything went right, tomorrow, she'd be able to get a better night's sleep.

* * *

AN: Somewhere in the literary universe, Lily Evans is giving me a dirty look for the sudden influx of fluff and her lack of attentive female friends...Anyways, you guys know what the routine is; I love feedback as much as Remus Lupin likes handing out chocolate. Any Questions, comments, concerns, knock knock jokes-what have you (so long as its James/Lily and preferably this story related)-either leave them in a review or shoot me a PM.~KH


	11. Questions and Riddles

An: On a Love Scale ranging from Bellatrix to Molly, I feel like I've been showered with fudge, a new weasley jumper and have been properly suffocated by Mrs. Welasely's hug via all the lovely reviews, adds, and favorites Dried Lilies has gotten! Thank you so much guys—I can't begin to express my thanks! As with the last few chapters: thank you to SarCoops for beating this story. I don't want to know how DL would've turned out without your helping hand.

Ok, thank you's aside, Here's Chapter 11. –KH

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Questions and Riddles

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"Idiots," Remus sneezed as he and his friends emerged from the cover of the Invisibility Cloak, safely inside the now deserted Gryffindor Common Room. "Why are we all such bloody idiots?"

"Oh take it easy Moony," Sirius chided, shaking his black mane, the side effects of his transformation still visible. "Wormy had to make sure that hair charm would work or else he would've been a wuss the next full moon. Now we know we just need to do one _Harivicus_ and an _ingrodio _rather than Two...Worm's a rat, not a mammoth."

"I would not have been a wuss," Peter whined, brushing back his influx of golden hair from his bushy eyebrows, a look of annoyance on his round face. "Just because I don't have a thick coat to transform into...it gets rather chilly, and with all this cold..."

"I'm not complaining Wormy, I needed a few hours outside the castle. And playing in the snow is always best on four legs. Right Prongsie?" Sirius asked looking back to his friend, now folding his cloak back into his pockets.

"Exactly. Sorry about the cold though Moony," James apologized, glancing over at Remus and his worn handkerchief. "I know this was meant to be a business trip, we sort of got carried away."

Remus gave a reluctant smile as he put his rag away. "Well, it could've gone much worse. I'm sure we'll be thankful for this educational field trip in a few weeks."

"Exactly," Sirius beamed as he strode closer to the boys staircase, passing the sofas and fireplace, his friends trailing behind him. "Nothing like Marauder escapades in the snow...I've been thinking, maybe we could go 'round by the lake and chase some of the couples out for a late night snog...Valentines is a Saturday this year, there'll be loads of people..."

"Lets get through Christmas first Padfoot," James laughed following his friends when a familiar stock of red hair caught his eyes.

"Evans?" He muttered, stopping mid-step and looking back to the chair. At first, he had just supposed his eyes were playing tricks on him. When he and his friends had been on the grounds playing in their Animagus (or in Remus' case, invisible) forms, she had been stuck in his mind. She hadn't seemed right since speaking with Slughorn. She was more hesitant than normal, which to him, seemed odd. In the past few weeks he had delighted in seeing how comfortable she was growing around him and suddenly she was back to her flighty self. He had supposed that perhaps she wasn't feeling well, but even then he didn't know which would be better: an ill Lily or a hesitant one.

He hadn't expected to see her here, twisted in the armchair nearest the fireplace, the dying flames still flickering on her ivory face. Wrapped in her scarlet house robe, her auburn hair cascading down her shoulders she looked like she had tucked herself into a ball, her hands holding her knees up to her chest, facing the fire.

In sleep, Lily Evans looked like a different person. The lines that normally knit her eyebrows together were absent and in their place, silky perfect skin. She didn't look up tight, she didn't look nervous or tense, she looked relaxed; perhaps deeply engrossed in a dream that had her carried away in a far off, happier place. The shadow of a smile played out on her face, the corners of his own mouth twitching upwards in response. Wherever she was currently, she looked as though she was enjoying her visit.

"Why is it that whenever we're about to do something macho together, we run into Evans?" Sirius moaned, watching his friend now standing by Lily's side, taking a steady hand to tuck a loose ribbon of hair behind her ear.

"I'd hardly call going to bed macho," Peter snorted, looking for Remus' nod of approval to counter Sirius glare of distaste.

"You guys go on I'll be up in a little while," James waved them on, his gaze fixed on Lily as his friends voices faded up the staircase.

He would be perfectly content if he could spend the rest of his life watching her sleep. Watching her when she was most herself. Relaxed, and not running around the school as though she was the solo captain of this great ship. He could only imagine what that sort of life would be like. One where she'd be sleeping by his side. Her soft finger tips resting on his pillow, perhaps a stray lock of her red hair tickling his nose. Her face this relaxed, this _at home. _ThisPerfect.)

"Oi, Evans," he whispered, bending down on his knees, and stirring her shoulder. "Lily girl, you need to wake up-you're killing your back," he chided, knowing quiet well the results of falling asleep in _this _chair. He and Sirius had held many camp outs their second year before they knew about Remus' condition, and it only took one bad night in that chair to learn a lesson. He stirred her shoulder again, gently whispering to her, "It's nearly four. I swear you'll hate yourself in the morning if you stay here."

"But I finally got to sleep," a little voice cried, as the limbs began to stir. "Just five minutes Vera, please?"

_Ah, so you think I'm Vera do you?_ He thought with mild amusement. Maybe if she thought it was him, she'd actually get up. She'd flash that familiar look of annoyance, become rather flustered and insist on staggering up the stairs to her dormitory by herself, perhaps walking into the wall in the process. He looked behind him at the sofa. It wasn't nearly as bad as the chair, but it was still not worthy to cradle Lily. He knew quiet well that even if he was behaving chivalrous and tried to carry her to her own dormitory, the stairs would melt away and both of them would go flying back into the Common Room . . . he could carry her to the Head Tower where he knew there were two beds but that was up a few more stairs in which Lily could wake up, find herself in his arms, and hex him till kingdom come. The only other option had her sleeping up in his dormitory while he and his friends made camp downstairs in the Common Room, much to the Marauders _'delight_.'

Giving the sofa a second look, he sighed. Pointing his wand at it, he fluffed the pillows till they met his expectations. He then returned his eyes to her, taking her on arm and wrapping it around his neck while he lifted her in the air. "All right Lily, It's James, I'm just going to move you to the other couch, it's softer," he said, savoring the moment of being able to hold her this intimately.

"Don't drop me," she whispered, her eyes still shut, but her face nestling into his chest as though it was her pillow. The hell with the fact her voice still groggy in sleep, he was going to enjoy this as long as he could.

"Oh don't worry Lily, I'm just practicing for when I carry you over a threshold someday, I won't drop you, I'd never drop my world" he smiled taking his time on transferring her to the Common Room couch. He could hear her grumbling something about a threshold and elderly home, but the words in between were too twisted and gurgled to be coherent. "I'd never drop you," he cooed again as he laid her down on the now soft sofa and pulling a blanket to drape her small petite frame. Kneeling down to her side he looked at her face, making sure she was still asleep, her deep even breaths still kept in slumber.

When he was a young boy growing up in Salisbury, he and a few of the boys from the muggle school would be dragged, by their mothers of course, to the artisan fairs. Usually, he and his friends would run off to the cinema while their mothers visited the crafts. He had noticed in nearly every cartoon movie-usually made by some American that had a thing for mice wearing gloves and fiery little pixies-when the leading lady was asleep, the leading man would usually bend down on knee and gently kiss her lips, her forehead, or a light peck on the cheeks.

At the time, he and his friends had thought it revolting. After all, what was the point of kissing a girl if she wasn't awake to get angry and chase you around the playground? And why was it that no matter the problem, it could always be solved with 'true love's first kiss'? It was poppy cot. Wands stopped problems, not pecking a girl's cheek, the young James had thought. Despite the Prince's skills with the sword, _they_ obviously didn't know how kissing was supposed to go.

No longer the young boy, but now a young man, James understood. He craved to just brush his lips on those cheeks. He wanted to steal, just for a moment, the warmth from her skin, feel that tickling sensation on his lips. She was asleep, she'd never know. She wouldn't hex him into a thimble. She wouldn't react badly at all. He would remain victorious. The conqueror of his own little battle.

"Thanks James-" she whispered, reeling him in from his plotting. He looked over her again. She was still in her sleep, only stirring as she got a better hold of her pillow, the smile deepening on her face as she snuggled into her new setting.

"Anytime Lily," he replied, again tucking a soft, ribbon hair again behind her ear. Not tonight, he thought walking up the stairs to his dormitory. He wanted her to be awake when he did kiss her. Because although she didn't know it, if he had it his way, it'd be her very last first kiss.

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((*))

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The next morning Lily sat at the Gryffindor breakfast table taking a minor ache potion with her pumpkin juice.

She could remember walking down from her dormitory and nestling up in the chair next to the fire, but somehow she had woken up at six o'clock passed out on the sofa. While she ran down the possible reasons to her change in location, she couldn't find a logical reason for why she couldn't remember moving.

She wasn't a sleepwalker. She would've remembered getting up and moving. Perhaps some third years had tried their Levitation Charms on her as part of a prank. That was more comforting than the other option: her dream was real and James Potter had carried her across the common room while going on about thresholds and worlds.

But that was preposterous. Why would James have been up that late? She had watched him go up to the dormitory when they finished duty the night before. She turned to look down the table. It was filling up with more Gryffindors with each passing moment, but nowhere in sight could she see any of the Marauders. _Perhaps I ought to confiscate that ruddy cloak_, she thought for a minute, knowing all too well that it would take more than losing the cloak to stop the four princes of discord. Rather, she held the simple prayer that perhaps the Gods of Karma would smile down on her and her aching back and smite the absent, maundering Marauders. Sleep deprivation, she prayed would be her justice.

It took only a few more minutes before the groggy procession made its way into the hall, perhaps proving that her vicious prayer had been answered. Peter walked into the benches along the table a few times with staggered steps until reaching a spot opposite her. Remus' strides where more direct, and his pace radiating with consciousness, his nose however seemed to be as red as the reindeer-stag she liked to tease James about. Sirius looked as though he had drunk one too many Firewhiskey's and with his tie still needing to be tied about his neck and his mane of hair even messier than usual; he appeared to her like a muggle rock band member as he passed out on the table.

"And there's sleeping beauty," a husky voice jested as the missing Marauder sat at her side. Lily quickly turned, anxious to see his sleepy self but instead was met by a more than half awake, although unshaven, James Potter.

"You're one to talk about sleeping beauty," she retorted, passing him a jar of Marmalade. "Vera had a late start, going to skip breakfast and meet us up before class, probably be a good idea for some of you lot."

"Nah" he yawned, stretching his arm as Sirius's black mane flew up with the rest of his head, suddenly more awake then he had earlier portrayed.

"She's skipping breakfast? I'm seeing a woman that skips breakfast!" He demanded, looking at James and Peter as though he had just learned Vera was part banshee. "This is a scandal... breakfast today, who knows what's next...there's beauty sleep, and then there's insanity and right now she's pushing the later..."

"Take it easy Paddy," Remus started looking over the top of Peter's stack of Pancakes, "You ought to have done the same thing you were up so late. After all, you're the one that wanted to stay up late working on Charms."'

"Remind me never to plan ahead again. Wormy can freeze for all I care," he grumbled as he got to work cracking eggs and pouring jam into his goblet, stirring the concoction with his wand.

"Freeze?" She started, looking at James who was very quick to point out the incoming post, and breathing a sigh of relief when Lily's owl dropped off a little pink envelop from home early on in the delivery.

He was extra surprised when he noticed a grey owl with bright, yellow eyes swooping down throughout the hall and landing in front of Remus. He hadn't seen the owl in a while, but it wasn't long enough he could forget who his owner was. "Have a spot of toast Naveed," Remus greeted, as he traded the toast for the letter in the owl's beak. James was grateful he wasn't as sleepy as some at the table, and even more grateful that Sirius was about to drink his morning-transformation-hangover wake juice. They would all need to be awake for the contents of this letter. After months of questions, it was here. They hand gotten a response.

"Isn't that Frank Longbottom's owl?" Lily asked, her attention diverted from the elegant scribbles of her mother's letter. "Why are you guys...?"

"James has been badgering him all semester about the Auror's training academy," Remus smiled, pulling out of the letter. "In his last letter, ol' Prongs mentioned that I had an interest in the Ministry and Frank was kind enough to write back with a few contacts and ideas for getting on board."

"Hasn't done the same courtesy to me yet," James grumbled, glaring at his friend. "Does Frank say anything to me?" He asked, craning his neck to get a few of the contents.

"He says to stop writing the Prewett boys unless you want to lose some of your fingers, They're threatening to mount your head on a wall with all the letter's you've been badgering them with," Remus said coolly.

"Warning noted," the stag remarked, joining Remus and Sirius in their cool laughter. Peter, who appeared to be the most sleep deprived out of the four boys only registered the joke moments after the first initial laughter peeled the table.

Lily didn't know whether or not she believed that portion of the letter but could feel that James wanted to actually hold the letter in his hand to scan over the words, now folded and tucked away in Remus' cloak. While James returned to contributing to the conversation, which was largely based on the amazing length of Peter's hair, his eyes seemed to be a fixed to the corner of the letter popping out of Remus' chest pocket.

_Funny, James hadn't mentioned anything about joining the Auror's, _Lily thought, trying to remember their late night chats. Of course, if he was pulled out of the group and asked _her _career paths, he probably wouldn't have the faintest idea she was intending to join St. Mungo's Research Institute.

It only fit he would want to be an Auror. She could remember how the last Christmas she and Severus were friends they had talked about their career plans, both knowing that Career Advice awaited for them on their return. Severus at the time was debating between in an extensive study of the Dark Arts or following Lily to the Research Institute. One thing he had made clear however was how he didn't want to be an Auror. From what he explained, it sounded like the department was full of arrogant toe-rags like James, all proud to be in the prestigious force, all intelligent, basking in glory they probably didn't deserve...that had been another sign to her of his turning character. From what she read in the papers about the disappearances and murders, the Auror's deserved all the glory they could get, even if they were fighting what appeared to be a losing battle.

Potter the Auror. He'd be good at that. He was sneaky, and had learned that sleuth like nature from years under his cloak. And he was resourceful and intelligent, only those traits could have gotten him through his Animagus transformation. He was smart, although on occasion he did cause her common sense to flinch. He probably ought to have been expelled a couple times already, but he had always managed to weasel himself out of those tough spots. And then there was the fact he was loyal. He'd be the sort of wizard you'd want having your back. You'd never have to worry if he as watching you. Hell, if he became an animagus for a friend, she could easily see him taking a Killing Curse for a friend. _He'd be good at it, _she thought again looking down at her half eaten plate sickly, _so why does the thought of him doing that make me feel sick?_

"Feeling alright Evans?" James asked looking at the girl to his side who had just ended her breakfast with a Sirius appetizer still on it.

"Oh she's just concerned you're big head would ruin ol' Fabian's wall that's all Prongs," Sirius jested, giving Lily a wink. "Don't worry Evans, Fabian wouldn't put it in the main room, it'd draw attention away from his other hunting trophies."

"Whatever you say Black," Lily grinned, pushing her plate forward. "I'll see you four later, I told Vera I'd meet up with her before class."

"Tell her she's killing herself by skipping breakfast!" Sirius called out behind her as she started her exit from the hall. Then, waiting for her to be out of ear shot he turned to his friends, "I don't think I'm going to be able to keep seeing that woman Prongs, skipping breakfast, that's like talking during a Quidditch match or switching my flea shampoo with that fruity girl crap. It's damn near unforgiveable . . ."

"If you're going to pass up a sweet girl like Vera because she decides it's better to get a few minutes of sleep than watching you and Peter declare war on the breakfast table you're an idiot," James retorted, giving his brother a glare of a stare before turning his attention to Remus, now pulling the letter out of his pocket. "What does Frank really have to say?"

"Well, I didn't lie when I said he warned you about writing the Prewetts, but he did say that they found Sirius' "Snake in the Pigpen'" rather amusing so as long as Sirius now takes up correspondence with them, they'll accept our owls" Remus explained, giving Sirius a look very similar to the one McGonagall used. "But he says he's coming to the school next week and will talk to us if we can meet him. He can only be here for the few hours he's been asked so it's imperative we meet him then."

"That's fantastic, when's he coming?" James asked, relieved at how simple this could roll out. With the map they completed two years ago, as well as his cloak, meeting the famed friend wouldn't be hard at all. But the sudden glance at Remus face proved maybe it actually would be difficult.

"Thursday night-he's a guest at the Slugclub Christmas Social," the worn out werewolf shook his head passing the letter to James who was doing a deeper search of it's contents.

_Damn Slugclub, _James thought. Under recent attacks over the summer, and most of them geared towards Slug Club Alumni, Slughorn had become a little nutty and the party that he and Sirius had once crashed their fourth year was now as closed as a dead man's casket. The only way to go to the party was if someone in the club had invited you as a guest . . .

Like a bludger attacking his head, James Potter looked up quickly at the faces of his three compatriot friends. There was _one _slug he could go with..._but, _a voice of ice whispered, _is Frank Longbottom worth potentially losing Lily Evans? _His eye caught the front page of the prophet, it's headline detailing another disappearance. _Would you rather lose her to because of a Death Eater or because you had to meet someone so you could to keep her safe?_

_Maybe it won't be like that, _he thought for a minute, _Maybe this is how it's supposed to start between us…maybe we're supposed to jump into the resistance together Lily and I. She has to be against Voldemort as much as the rest of us. _

"What should we tell him Prongs?" Remus asked, pulling James from his mental dilemma. "Tell him I'll meet him at the party," James said with a clear and even voice, pushing his plate and rising from the table. "Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I have a invitation to beg for."

Sirius waited for his friend to be out of earshot before he returned to the remaining Maunders flanked at his side. "Five Sickles says Evans crushes his dreams," he bet, turning to Peter knowing quiet well that Remus wasn't going to make such a gamble.

"You're on!" Peter piped, shaking Sirius stretched out hand, not knowing what he'd agreed to, but could care less as he took in both James and Lily's half eaten breakfast plates.

* * *

((*))

* * *

"So I didn't dream you contemplating asking James to the party?" Vera gleefully asked, delighted as the girls made their way through the corridors to morning Charms. "And here I thought it was just one of those dreams…no, Lily Evan's up to the early hours thinking about…"

Lily's hand flew over her friend's mouth like a reflex, a dirty look attached to it. "There's no reason to say what I was up to Vera. For all people know, you are an awful snorer and I couldn't catch a wink upstairs so I went to the common room."

"Yes, but I know for a fact that Vera doesn't snore," a familiar, half arrogant half charming voice interrupted, Lily spun to see the voice from behind as James Potter, the crooked smirk still attached to his stubble face.

" And how would you know that?" She inquired, arching a suspicious eyebrow.

"Well, she sat behind me in History of Magic for three years and I swear on my broomstick this girl, " he smiled nodding towards Vera, "silent as the grave. Not a peep. You'd think she was the dead one, not Binns."

"I think I'm going to jet off and find Sirius," Vera said wisely, sizing up the two Heads on either side of her. Turning to Lily, she beamed and muttered something that sounded like "_Good Luck" to_ James and then disappeared as quickly as James had appeared, leaving the two heads staring the other down.

"You know Potter, five o'clock shadows aren't the rage at nine in the morning," Lily finally spoke, turning around and continuing on her way.

"Ah, but there's where you're wrong Evans. They're making a comeback. Nine's the new five," he winked once he caught up with her. "Just like sleeping on the couch rather your dormitory's the new thing."

"Oh bug off," she sneered half-heartedly, " I just had a hard time falling asleep last night. Kidney Pie didn't settle right."

"Whatever you say Evans. Want to know my theory?" He asked, bending his head down to her level, lifting her bag from her left shoulder and adding it on to his own. "I think Slughorn said something during your tea time and it has you a little stressed."

"That's ridiculous," she immediately dismissed, now frowning at her bag. "Tell me James, do you delight in stealing my belongings or do you prefer being my personal pack mule."

"Not as much as I enjoy chivalry," James winked, "But if I had to be pack mule, I wouldn't mind being yours."

He couldn't help but savor the new rush of pink flushing her face. He was near dumbfounded. Perhaps the kidney pie _had_ given her some strange colouring. Never in all his adult years (being one and a half) could he recall Lily Evans _blushing _at something he had said. Most times her face turned red out of frustration, but this time…

"Well pack mule, you get next Thursday night off, Slughorn arranged for the Professors to Patrol so we could make it to the Slugclub Party," Lily said casually, trying to dismiss the pink from her cheeks. "The Party's just as long as a patrol, but thank heavens, it's not as late . . ."

" Wait a minute… so _we _could make it to the party? Evans, I'm not a slug, and you're not the queen, so what sort of _we _are we using?" It couldn't be this easy. Was she actually, honest to goodness, asking him? _Sirius better not have her under the Imperius Curse, _he thought to himself. Not for the fact it's illegal, but the fact that she'd be unintentionally playing with him, he might just go and neuter the dog…

Stopping outside the Charms room Lily pulled him over. _With the messy hair, the stubble isn't that bad, _she mused. " I meant _we_ as in you and I, as Head Boy and Girl."

"Are you asking me out on a date Evans?" he asked, carefully raising an eyebrow, trying to assess the situation, " Because if you are, I ought to have let you carry my bag."

"Well, I thought as a Christmas present, since we haven't strangled each other this term, and actually gotten along…I don't know, as a thank you for working so hard…" he couldn't help but enjoy the pink on her cheeks.

"So my Christmas present is a reward? I'd hate to see what lump of coal I would've gotten if I hadn't been a good Head Boy," James laughed, only letting it be short lived as he recognized the flash of frustration knit her brow.

"You're _impossible_," she started, rolling her eyes, her heart thundering in her chest like a galloping hippogriff. "I went to one of your bloody Quiddtich games and saw you in you're element. I thought, since we've been doing all of our Kumbyiah midnight chats, perhaps you'd want to see me in _my_ element."

"But I do," he protested, lightly putting his hand on her shoulder as he looked at the mesmerizing green of her eyes. "I'll shut up, you talk, deal?"

Lily tried to subdue the shock that ran through her body at the touch of James' hand on her shoulder. "I thought we could go as friends. I know that you'll probably not want to go, seeing as it's a good two hours of Slughorn bragging about people he knows, and singing fools' praises. But if you'd want to go, _as friends, _the food is usually pretty good…and he usually toasts with Firewhiskey…we don't even have to appear to be together the whole time. Just show up and leave together… and we'll need to look civil, that's all I'm asking. I suppose…"

James raised his hand to cover her mouth, his fingers tingling with the touch of their skin. "What time am I picking you up?" He asked with a smile that sent Lily's insides in a rush, pulling her lips into a large, near involuntary smile.

"You mean it?"

He nodded his head, but suddenly stopped mid nod. "I just have one condition," he said looking down at her with seriousness.

_Oh Merlin, here comes the outrageous demands _"Yes Potter?"

"As friends, you start calling me James," he winked. "Can you meet that demand Lily?"

"Well, for you James," she sighed, using the name that was so foreign and yet so familiar " I suppose I'll have to."

* * *

An: Alright, I hope you guys liked this chapter. Yes! Ms. Hobbit _can_ write fluff, and eleven chapters into a James/Lily story, I agree. It's about time!

Now, I hope that this newfound transition settles alright with you. I think the hardest part about writing a love story about two of the most loved characters in HP fandom is you want it to be as close to 'in character' as you can without turning Lily into a Shrew/Juliette and James into a love sick, seventh-year-she-better-love-me desperado/Casanova….does that even make sense? To cut to the chase: I hope this is just the right little bit off fluff. I want this story to be fair to not only you as the reader, but also to Lily and James, because lets face it—they're relationship is the best out of all the others—and this is coming from a Ron/Hermione shipper.

Regardless, remember to post any questions, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you might have via review or PM. Thanks you guys! Till Next time—KH


	12. Godmothers and Big Brother

AN: Ack! The world's coming to an end, I'm updating mid-week!

Normally, I update late saturday-early sunday. It's a good little system and I've tried following it all summer. But today is the last day I'll have wifi till next tuesday and I'd rather not subject you lot to a missed chapter (especially Sluggy's Party chapter). Gah, I wish I was a witch. 1. Olivander Wands=Worlds Best Wifi, 2. Hogwarts express muggle cross country drive to school and 3. Hogwarts Muggle University. Oh well, we can't have everything can we? But, all the same, thank you all so much for your words of support. It's really encouraged and fed my James size ego. Once again, I'm still trying to get this character's right. I didn't go to Hogwarts so James and Lily Fluff is as good a guess mine as it is yours. On to chapter twelve! I hope you enjoy this mid week snack of a chapter-KH.

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Godmothers and Big Brother

* * *

"Vera, if I have to put on one more bloody dress so help me," Lily struggled, stepping into the cloth as her friend came in from behind her and closed the zipper, her eyes running down the design with approval, and perhaps a little irritation.

"Well, if you had told me you didn't have a dress for tonight earlier, trust me, we wouldn't have had to try on half my trunk," Vera McKinnon sighed, smoothing out the fabric on her shoulders. While she didn't like this dress as much as she had liked the other maxi dress, the pale yellow maxi seemed to complement both Lily's eyes _and_ hair, not an easy task. What more, it's blouson top with it's ties at each shoulder gave her a classic Grecian flair while the slightly pleated bottom gave her even greater charm. Sure she didn't look like she was going to a Christmas Party, but in the cold English winter, no one would shy away from a girl dressed as a pale sunbeam.

Waving her wand, she saw to it that Lily's hair began to curl, framing her flushing face.

"If you had only come to me last week when you first asked him I wouldn't be going through this would I?" Vera churned, indicating the cover of the muggle magazine clutched in her hand.

Indeed, failing to confide in Vera about her dress situation had been her one great down fall concerning that evening's activity. She had been convinced she'd just wear the periwinkle dress robes her parents had bought her when she was fifteen, but the moment Vera saw her retrieve them from her trunk, the war for Lily's dress had begun. Their dormitory looked as though a bomb had exploded, mini and maxi dresses spewn across the floor; Lily had rather liked the prairie style white dress but it only took Vera's _"That looks like a wedding dress"_ to convince her to keep trying on the gowns Vera threw at her. She could only imagine how Pott—James would respond to a 'Just Friends Evening Out' with her wearing a white, wedding like gown.

They didn't have much time left; it was nearly 7:40. She and James had agreed to meet at ten till eight. She didn't want to be late . . . that would make him think she was trying to hard, but for what?

"Vera Claire, I'm going to Slughorn's Christmas Party, there's no reason to dress me up like a doll," the frustrated red head started, trying to duck the incoming makeup brushes attacking her face. "If this was a Yule Ball then maybe I could understand this, but just Slughorn..."

"I'm not dolling you up for Slughorn Lily," her friend responded, pulling out some more containers of eye shadow to see the best fit, "A Slughorn party warrants maybe dress robes...if you're going stag, I'd say a mini skirt, show them what's they're missing out on." She dabbed her brush in a light brown powder as she continued her work, "But I'm not dolling you up for a solo flight, you're going with James Potter. What more, there has been six years of build up for _this_ date…"

She dodged Vera's brush quickly, "But it's not a…"

"Fine. For an evening out," Vera sighed, setting her make up brushes aside and brushing back a stray curl. "All I'm saying is let me be the Fairy Godmother and make you shine brighter than a Christmas Star. Just for tonight please?"

The faithful friend looked over her model with a smile of relief. Setting aside her magazine, Vera looked up at her friend, "You know, after this thirty minutes of a nightmare, I think I'm prepared if you ever elope."

"Love your enthusiasm," Lily joked rolling her eyes, "Can I see what I look like? I'm sure James would get a real kick out of seeing me as a clown."

"Even if you did look like a clown, James Potter wouldn't be able to keep his eyes off you," the Godmother laughed, clutching her heart as she joked, "I can't believe you doubt my skills. I've never...No not yet!" She interceded, stepping between Lily and the doorway to the bathroom "I have a few more things for you. Stay put, no peeking!" Crossing the room she pulled a small oak jewelry box out of her trunk. Fishing out a necklace and the old, gold, McKinnon bangle.

"I don't want you saying no Lillian, you hear me?" She said evenly, clasping the strand of pearls and slipping the gold bangle into her friend's hand "Ever since I came to this school, I wanted a girlfriend I could help get ready for a big night out. Don't ruin my dream."

"Wouldn't dream of it Veraline," Lily smiled, responding to her friends fake, longer name they had composed years ago. "Now can I look in the mirror?"

'Not yet,' Vera shook her head, bending down to her knees and waving the wand at the hemline that was quickly starting to rise, bouncing from mid calf to skimming the top of her knees. Lily could feel her eyes blodge like tea sauces. "Vera! Are you mad? Did Sirius put you up to this?"

"Ah! You're dream crushing!" Vera explained, raising a finger. "I read in a muggle magazine '_Show your knees if you please but keep your thighs a surprise,' _It's been my staple for hemlines ever since."

"But we're not Muggles! I don't want to show my knees," she exclaimed looking down at her legs she had preferred much more under the soft touch of the nylon. "Now I'm going to look like a..."

Sighing, Vera cleared the doorway "Oh just look in the mirror Lily, I'll go grab your evening bag."

Waiting for her friend to disappear to the side of the near empty trunk, Lily stepped into the bathroom to get a good look of herself. She nearly had to do a double take, and consider Vera's offer as a last minute maid of honor in the event of an hour notice elopement.

Her hair was nearly identical to the women on the front of Vera's magazine, the soft red locks now fanning out in gentle curls framing her face, a few pearl bobby pins making the occasional appearance. Despite what she had thought to be an attack of make up products, she appeared rather natural, the eye shadow giving a slight shimmer over to her over all radiance.

And then there was the dress. The length wasn't that horrible, in full honesty, she rather liked it. She wondered what she'd look like next to Potter in the dress-No James. He was James for the evening. And she was Lily. No more surnames, at least not for tonight...perhaps now, those names where only for special occasions…

"It's time Lily," Vera smiled, holding a perfume bottle in one hand and her purse in the other. " Now, remember who you are and act accordingly...don't strangle Potter, and…"

"Do you think I should take my wand?" Lily asked looking at the water scented with cherry blossoms before putting it down on their nightstand, "I don't have any pockets."

"Lily, I'm sure James will have his. You're going to Sluggy's party, not to a Death Eater Recruitment Fair," she laughed at her own joke opening the door. "Remember, you can do this."

"I can do this," Lily repeated, stepping out of her door and heading down the twisted stairs. _It's just another evening with Potter, only we're dressed nice. That's all, she_ thought fervently, _just another evening with Potter...after all, we're just friends_

* * *

((*))

* * *

"Don't worry James, she's going to come down," Moony sighed sitting on the couch with a book in hand. "Lily's many things, but she's not the type of girl that would stand you up."

"Yes, but she's not the sort of girl that runs late either," he said, looking down at his watch. It said it was quarter after eight, almost a half hour past what they had agreed too, and she was no where to be found. The common room was surprisingly empty, or he would've asked a girl to go up stairs and check on her. All that remained in the room was himself, Moony and Padfoot who were instructed to throw the cloak on themselves the moment she turned the corner.

"Now when you get to the party, you must talk to Frank; the sooner the better. Don't forget," Remus repeated looking at the now pacing James. "James are you listening to me?"

"Frank. Party. I get that Moony, but where's Lily?" He asked, scratching the back of his head in growing irritation, "Without her, there's no party."

"Oh I moved your watch forward Prongs," Sirius smiled, "No need to wear holes in the carpet. She's got two minutes till she's actually late," the Marauder beamed while James Potter moved over like he was about to throttle his best friend.

"Sirius Black, so help me I'll…" but before he could carry out his threat, he saw the flash of sliver and the two of them suddenly disappear before his eyes. Quickly wheeling about, he saw her standing a few steps up, looking absolutely stunning.

_When had she grown up?_ James thought, watching with a near wondering awe as she came further down the stairs_. When had the little girl with red braids grown into the young woman with a soft curl in her hair? When did she turn in her long skirt and woolen socks for a dress that just skimmed her knees? Swap the fumes of the day's potion for a lovely, floral scent? Why was it she looked even more lovely know than any other time he had seen her?_

"Miss Lily," James bowed, taking her hand and tucking it into his arm "You look beautiful." The words ringing like a bell in her ears mildly drowned out the thunderous beat of her heart. She could feel her face pull itself into a smile only he could summon.

"You don't look shabby yourself James," she replied looking him over "Although, I sort of was wishing for that five o'clock stubble," she joked, watching an appearance of red tickle his cheeks. As always in the event of a special occasion, James was dressed in his classic black robes that had probably been designed in a shop greater than Madame Mankin's. His Gryffindor tie was replaced with a startling white bow tie, his shirt closed with gold cufflinks. Even though his five o'clock shadow had disappeared from when she had asked him, that same fluttering feeling had claimed her. Obviously, he was dashing either decked out in stubble or that clean, cut and husky aftershave.

"Shall we go?" He asked opening the portrait hole.

"If we must," she replied leading the way.

Perhaps they would have an adventure or two. Perhaps she'd let him hold her close when they met with people. Perhaps they'd roll eyes at each other during Slughorn's toasts.

And perhaps she'd get used to the feeling of her arm tucked in his.

* * *

((*))

* * *

"Lily!" Professor Slughorn exclaimed, fleeing the circle of students that had been around him the moment Lily and James entered the room. Dressed up in his Emerald silk and a muggle martini glass in one hand—he was in his usual element of party hosting, even going so far to put the martini in James' hand so he could hug Lily.

"You look absolutely stunning Miss Lily—I wish it was Brent Cannon and not his sister Bell who worked for the IPC, one look at you and he'd probably offer you the job tonight!" He chucked, his eyes brimming with pride. "Be it as it may, I think you're classy wit and charm might win you favor with Ms. Cannon's superiors...come, I'll introduce you now…"

"Bur sir, could I first see to it that my guest is attended to?" Lily asked, for the first time nudging her head towards James, as she kept her arm wrapped tightly in his own.

"Oh, of course of course, pardon my manner's Mr. Potter!" The mildly tipsy professor apologized, taking his glass from James. "You know Miss Evans, Mr. Potter's parents where in my very first potion's class? Charlie Potter and Dori Black—class of 1923—how are they doing young James?"

"Mum had a bout of Dragon Pox a few months back, but Dad says she's in great spirits now, you know mum, hell it's self would have to shake the earth before she let's a cough and some spots get in between her and her New Years Party," James nodded curtly.

A familiar deep laughter shook the conversation as Slughorn continued, "I can see that—Now James, what are you're career plans? Perhaps I can find someone who can help you while I steal Miss Lily to the Potions Corps."

"I…"

"James desires to become an Auror," Lily smiled, interrupting her date "Is it true that Frank Longbottom is here tonight? I'm sure James would love to talk to him, wouldn't you dear?" She asked, giving him a sly , almost all knowing smile.

"Certainly, that'd be very helpful," James replied digging through her eyes, it was as though she suspected something that he didn't know about. Was it possible to be under suspicion even when you hadn't done anything yet?

"Very good, if you excuse me Miss Evans, I'll see Mr. Potter to Mr. Longbottom and then we're off to get you a Potion Position!' The Potion Master exclaimed, taking James towards a deeper part of the room as Lily went to find a drink knowing quiet well how long an introduction went when it was being given by Professor Slughorn.

She had only taken a sip of her honey mead when her thoughts of James were interrupted. 'So you brought_ him, _did you?" A rather unpleasant voice inquired as it's owner appeared at her side. "Funny I remember you once said you'd rather date the Giant Squid than that blasted…"

"Squiddy couldn't make it tonight Severus," Lily sneered, cutting him off before he could finish his insult. "And regardless, he has nothing to worry about. This isn't a date, we're just going as friends."

"You know Lily, you used to be a far better liar," Snape spat, taking a shot of his drink, the amber color of Fire Whiskey sloshing in his hand. "_We _used to go as just friends and you never dressed up like this for those times."

"We used to do a lot of things Severus," Lily answered coldly, beginning to regret her decision to not bring her wand. "To be perfectly honest, I don't see why you continue to pry into my personal life. We aren't friends anymore so I don't see _why _it should be privy to you."

"Because," he started, taking a step closer to her, "because I can tell you right now, Potter isn't going to last long as an Auror. He, and anyone who mixes with him are living on borrowed time. I don't want you to be one of them." His black eyes fixed on hers, "Just stay away from him Evans. If you ever trusted me once, trust me again. Stay away from James Potter."

Pulling apart her lips that had been tightly pressed, her eyes squinted up at him. "You listen to me Severus Tobias," she started her voice like cold ice mixed with razors. "Don't you dare threaten Potter, myself, or any of our friends. Whatever friendship we had died and isn't coming back. Leave Potter alone. You don't scare me," she said, hoping her voice was even and strong as she stated her biggest lie.

"Ah, Severus, Lily!" Slughorn smiled cheerfully returning to the scene "Good to see that in the holiday spirit you two can make amends. Come Lily, Ms Cannon's waiting…"

'Thank you professor," Lily smiled, taking his arm.

She hoped that somehow she could forget the black seriousness that had appeared in Sev's eyes when he had threatened James. She hoped that maybe, in the name of their former friendship, he'd see to it that _no _harm came to either her or Potter. And even more, as she started listening to Slughorn introducing her to the intimidating witch with pepper gray hair, she hoped that his threat wouldn't call back the gruesome nightmare in the forest that would leave her with a dying James Potter

* * *

((*))

* * *

"Not even an hour into the night's festivities and Slughorn get's you over here," the calm voice of Frank Longbottom smiled, clapping James on the shoulder. "You've grown up the past two years kid."

"You too old man," James grinned, "Of course, last time I saw you, you didn't have as many wrinkles and you're hair was a little thicker."

"Oh sod off, you're starting to sound like Alice," Frank laughed waving his hand through his hair, slightly frazzled.

"How is Miss Livesly?" James asked, wondering how much longer she was going to hold the term Miss before trading it in for another name.

"She's well Potter, thank you," he said, something about his face showed he was somewhere far from Hogwarts. "When the party's done I'm going to meet her at her parent's home in Nottingham—spending Christmas with them before I take her home to brave a Longbottom Christmas," he explained, his eyes returning and casting themselves towards Lily, now across the room and chatting with a woman that was either half witch or part hag. "Miss Evans looks very nice this evening, are you two dating yet? Or have you Imperio-ed her into being your date for the evening?"

"I'm Head Boy this year, and she's Head Girl. We both had the night off so we figured 'What the hell, let's go together'," he sighed, wishing he could've said that they were dating, or even that it could be a possibility…_but then again, who's to say it isn't a possibility?_ "I guess you could say it comes with the job."

"Comes with the job," the worn auror grimaced, as though James' words had called him back to the reason they were meeting. "Follow me," was all he need to say as they walked away from the crowded parts of the party, climbing Slughorn's spiral staircase to a small privy tower where they knew they wouldn't be found.

"So are you going to tell me about this job Frank?" James asked, setting himself on the outer rim of a window. "What is it that we can do for the resistance? Can you tell us about the resistance? How d'we join?"

"Easy there," Frank cut him off, the list of questions flooding over him. "I can't tell you much, The head of our organization wishes me to tell you that we've noticed your friends and your own interest in joining a resistance against the Dark Lord. He will come in contact with you soon enough in his own way, but until then, we can only ask you to continue doing what you're doing."

"What we're doing? But Longbottom, we're doing nothing…" James started slightly annoyed, "The resistance wants us to just sit back and do nothing?"

"Listen Potter, you have to understand what the outside is like. It takes a good half hour to get through security at work each morning at the ministry, and still even after being cleared, there's people who are under the imperious curse. You don't know who's really your friend, or who your foe is. If that isn't enough, you always have to do a look around the office to see if there are any of your co-workers who've disappeared," Frank explained. "And believe me, the Auror Department has more disappearances than we'd like to admit."

"Remus read there were more disappearances this week," James echoed, "A half dozen muggleborns from Yorkshire?"

"And another dozen from Dover the Ministry covered up," Frank responded, giving a callous laugh as he continued. "Do you know people in the ministry are actually campaigning to stop the Muggleborn Protection Acts? They say there not actually being of use and if anything, the closer we get to actually being able to help them, the more muggleborns disappear and die."

"And your resistance wants us to do nothing?" James asked annoyed, "How the bloody hell is that supposed to make sense?"

Shaking his head, Frank sighed, "It's not like that James. As Head Boy, you're one of our greatest assets. You have clearance to walk around the castle at night, and also, as one of your duties of course, make sure there isn't anything peculiar going on." His light grey eyes turned to James. "You also are able to patrol with Lily Evans, and we know that as long as you're with her, she's safe from anything threatening. "

"Anything threatening—"He filched at the thought of anything happening to Lily. Although he would love to go after Snape, he could still remember the night months ago when he had seen them in the corridor. _They wouldn't go after her, not after his Lily…_ "But what about Remus? Sirius? Peter…"

"James, I don't know how you do it, but I don't doubt there's a thing going on in this castle that the Marauders don't know about. Whatever it is that you guys do, the resistance wants you to keep doing. Same with you and Evans. If anything happens, just write it down, include your suspicions in a report to McGonagall. We need your eyes and ears Potter. Understand?" He asked and James responded with a nod.

"Good, now let's get you back to your lady, Slughorn usually has a few songs play from his gramophone as soon as his toasts are done. Perhaps you and Lily could have a go."

"Wouldn't bet on it Frank," James smiled, following his friend down the stairs and back to the cheerful chitchat of the slugs and company. "It's taken six years for her to call me by name without flinching."

"Have you ever played dominos Potter?" Frank asked again, "It's a funny little Muggle game my grandfather taught me, but you learn quick. All it takes is one move for the others to fall into place."

* * *

((*))

* * *

The chitchat that had greeted Frank and James on their return, just as Frank had predicted, soon gave way to Slughorn's traditional Christmas toast and then the revival on music from his gramophone. He had found Lily a few songs after the make shift dance had started; finally emerging from what she admitted was a 'promising' discussion with Ms. Cannon about the IPC.

"It ought to be promising, she couldn't find a bet Potioneer than you," James started with a grin. "Hell, they give you your own little lab and Moony won't have a furry little problem anymore," he winked, enjoying the flush that covered her face.

"Whatever Pot—James" she stopped herself, but rolled her eyes all the same.

His ears perked as the song began to play slowly, the coupled slugs lurching nearer to each other. As casually as he had several times that week taken her bag, he slipped his hand into hers pulling her towards an empty space on the makeshift dance floor.

"James, I don't dance," Lily said stubbornly, her feet glued to the ground, as he linked his fingers in her one hand while placing his other hand on her back. "Really, I don't…"

"Lily," he started gently, " A nice little lady told me it was my Christmas present to come to this party with her. So, naturally, I want to dance with my Christmas present, and I've been awfully good this year," he said with a smile, "What do you say Santa Lady?"

"You call me Santa Lady again and so help me I'll…"

"Let me lead," James offered, taking the first step forward. _I never thought I'd regret skipping out on those lessons Mum had me take, _He thought watching his feet fumbling, grazing her own. He flinched back when he realized that he had actually stepped on her foot, looking up with panic eyes to register her expression.

Instead of the course, stern look he was preparing for, she was smiling looking down at her own feet and then up at his eyes. "So you can dance in the sky on a broom, but on a dance floor…"

"It's a little different," he laughed, letting go of her waist as he twirled her around the floor. "But I can still do that," he muttered, watching her return to his arms as the twirl died out, her face bright as though a glowing sun beam.

"And what is that?" she asked, her face like it was when she slept, clear, relaxed, as herself as she ever could be.

He didn't want to ruin the perfect evening. He didn't want to take that risk of being witty and get a flush of red anger rather than a flush of red blush on her cheeks, all over simply saying _I can still take your breath away_. "Nothing, I can still twirl someone around, that's all" he winked.

"James," she started, as though she knew what he was thinking. "Just so you know, you're the best worst dancer I know," she grinned, squeezing his hand as he let her out for another spin.

"You know Lily, that has to be the nicest insult you've ever thrown at me, and trust me there's been a few."

"Well," she sighed, her evergreen emeralds glued to his in what he though might be admiration, "It is Christmas."

"If I knew I could get an evening with you as a just friend, trust me, I would've been a good boy long, long ago," he swore, moving his finger to tuck back a curl that was starting to break free of Vera's charm.

"That was the past," she said evenly, "No need to dwell on that. After all, this party is all about our futures…"

And although she sensed she had made a grave mistake mentioning 'futures' with James Potter, she hoped that regardless of what their _separate _futures would hold, Severus' warning wouldn't be applicable. She hoped that they'd be able to live old enough to have a future, and that regardless of what the future held—whether it be St. Mungo's for her and the Auror Department for James— she prayed that she and her hopeless dance partner would be spared the fate Severus warned of.

* * *

AN: I know a little longer (especially as a midweek update) but cliff hangers are rather cruel don't you think? Concerning James' dance moves... He's Human. He has his flaws, I think dancing will just have to be one of them. I can't wait to hear what you think. As per usual, Questions, Complaints, whatever floats your boat is always welcome. Just leave a review or send a PM. They really make my day. Happy writer=Happy Sirius right?

Oh and additionally, I just really wanted to thank you guys for tuning into Dried Lilies this summer. When I started, I didn't think I'd push this far along the story, but I'm glad that I have. It's kept my sanity in line for the holiday. Updates might be less consistent as the semester begins, but they'll come. Chaser's Honor.

Until Next time (which will be soon!)~Kait Hobbit


	13. Hot Air and Holly Leafs

AN: So after an extremely long car ride to school, I was finally reunited with my laptop connection and then huzzah! I checked my emails and huzzah! we've finally passed the 50 review mark! Thanks guys, I really appreciate it! Classes start this week, and I'm going to do a battle with my major, so keep your fingers crossed for me please, and I'll try my hardest to keep updating.

Enjoy-KH.

* * *

Hot Air and Holly Leafs

* * *

"I still can't believe you didn't even kiss his cheek goodnight," Vera moaned as she slid further down into the seat of their compartment. "The perfect opportunity and you just let it slip by. Oh I can't believe you Lily, I just can't believe it..."

Lily huffed out a heavy sigh, moving her gaze from outside the passing trees to her crushed fairy godmother sitting at her side. "I _know_ you can't believe it Vera, if I have to hear how shocked you are one more time, so help me I'm liable to….," her exasperation such that she could think of nothing bad enough to threaten Vera with. _Cinderella never had to put up with this, _she thought watching Vera pout. _I could only imagine if Vera was hers too 'Your name! You didn't even tell him your name! I should stone you with your last glass slipper! Go back to your fireplace, no prince for you!_

"I just can't believe how bad I goofed," her friend lamented, to Lily's surprise. " I had you dressed up for a grand date, I must have gotten too focused on your outfit, I didn't even pause to think about preparing you for the end scene...I was too wrapped up in the epic opening scene. I'm so sorry Lily…" she sighed, looking at her friend with apologetic eyes.

"Vera, I grew up in the muggle world," Lily sighed, becoming more annoyed as their conversation progressed. "I know what to do, but could you imagine what even a _hug _would mean to James Potter? For all I know, giving him a voluntary hug is consenting to have his children!"

"Still, you could've pecked his cheek. I did that when I went to the Yule Ball with my then just friend Nimbus Wood," she countered. " Of course we later started dating and saw each other regularly till he graduated last year, but that's besides the point. At the time, I was very much _not_ in love with him but I still gave him a little peck."

"But if James would decipher a hug, don't you think he'd twist my little kiss on the cheek different too?" Lily moaned, playing with the string on the seat. "We just went as friends, that's all. I said good night to him the same way I said it to Severus after the Christmas party."

"Oh, Please tell me you didn't tell James that, he'd be downing fire whiskey for the rest of the year," Vera murmured, her fingers messaging her forehead. "Just next time, don't give Potter the Sev treatment. After all, I bet he's a hell of a kisser," Vera cut in with a smirk, her eyes shining in such a way Lily knew her friends wheels were turning.

"Vera Claire! He's Sirius' best mate!" She gasped appalled, but not for Sirius sake, instead for the painful twist in her chest and sudden urge to attack her friend with a pillow or something more heavy... Lily didn't know what she thought was more offensive. Was it the intimate thought she was having about her present flame's mate or the fact that her friend had purposed such a ghastly thought, James lips being as soft as his hands...just as warm and welcoming, soft and inviting . . .

_No, stop it! _She thought to herself, trying to stop imagining how those lips would feel on her own. _Go with the first thought...perhaps Vera and Sirius are more off again than they are on...maybe they're just waiting till after Christmas to call it quits..._ _but what if Vera's moved on to another Marauder? What if she's starting to fancy James? _Lily was suddenly very ready to change the topic.

Her friend however, seemed to register whatever emotion she couldn't decipher in herself. "Oh I'd never, I was just thinking out loud," Vera quickly back traced. "Don't worry, I wouldn't take him from you," she winked, somehow calming the James Potter Heart Burn Lily was now plagued with. Resting her head on her friend's shoulder, Vera looked up with an impish look. "Just next time, rather than a handshake, find out, it wouldn't kill you, you know. I think you'd find it actually..."

"Regardless, see if I tell you about it," Lily snorted before she leaned into the soft leather of the Hogwarts Express. _I'm not a prune, _she thought, her mind returning to the word Vera had used before collapsing in bed the night before after she had shared her tale of dancing with James and their longer walk back to Gryffindor Tower, _I'm just not kissing James Potter . . ._

Although the way they had said goodnight may have caused Vera to wonder, Lily wouldn't lie at all, she was very glad that she had asked James to join her to Slughorn's party. Even if her feet were possibly forming bruises (bruises she secretly hoped would be ghastly so she'd be excused from running errands with Petunia) she had enjoyed the dancing and the laughter. Everything and been so lovely, so right and natural. She felt relaxed with him, not as uptight as she had once feared. If anything, she was almost _to_ comfortable with the boy who had once caused her toes to curl...and in a way, still did, but at present, only on the dance floor.

As the guests had filtered out last night, the party ending, they had decided to take one of the longer routes back to the tower.

"Its only right you know," James had insisted as they made their way back. "You know that Binns never pays attention in class, who knows what he's missing. Could be a crazy axe murderer about the castle, unbeknownst to us all." But of course, he didn't do an inspection of the ghosts' patrol. Rather, he just walked by her side, listening and occasionally speaking about the upcoming holiday break that would put their midnight chats on a brief hiatus.

Other than the traditional Panto, Lily wasn't expecting much of a Christmas celebration when she returned to Stockport. From the squiggled, bi-weekly letters she received from her parents, it appeared that this would be less than a Christmas celebration and more of an 'Ode to Petunia and Vernon.' Tomorrow night, her first night back at home, would be Petunia and Vernon's Engagement Party. Her days would be spent in fittings and mini-meetings with the other three victims/bridesmaids. Christmas Dinner, normally her favorite part of the holiday, would not be conducted in the Evans home, around the century old oak table and served on her mother's china. Instead, they were taking the train to the widowed Mrs. Dursley's home in Surrey. If Lily could survive up to that point, she could only imagine the train wreck that had yet to be announced that would mar her New Years.

But she had down played all the ill, less than pleasant reality that awaited her as she walked with James after the party. She tried to be upbeat, hoping that he would fail to notice, after all they had been such happy eyes at the party. He had been all smiles, just like her. The evening out with Potter hadn't been the horrific martyrdom she had suspected her fifth year. Secretly, she was starting to wonder how she would tell James that she might have to let the Squid go...

The moment they reached the empty common room, he had stood opposite her, looking down at her with his happy hazel eyes. It wasn't a bad look, but if he had given her this look months ago, she probably would have felt squirmy and darted up the stairs.

"Thanks for coming tonight James," she finally said, hoping to break the silence and the stare. "I really enjoyed…" _Having you there? Our Potter Polka? Smiling at you? The look on Slughorn's face when he realized we came together? The way you looked human while you crushed my toes?_

"I enjoyed the evening, thanks for inviting me," James interrupted her thoughts. "Best Christmas gift a Head Boy could ask for."

"Are you mocking me Potter?" She asked, eyebrow suddenly arched and teasing.

"Would I ever mock you Lily," he asked, reaching out and putting his on hand on her shoulder. "I know you better then that."

She had taken a step towards him, without thinking what to do. His hand had been on her shoulder; she could just connect the dots and give him a hug as well. That was normal. Friends hugged. How many hugs had she given Sev before things fell apart? But Sev was different, he didn't make her blush or cause her toes to curl in delight and dread…and he most certainly didn't smell as good as Potter—

"Goodnight James, I'll see you in the morning," she said, lifting his hand from her shoulder but still holding it rather than let it drop. She let her thumb trace circles on the chaser leather of his skin, not coarse, nor dainty, but strong hands that enveloped her fingers.

"Goodnight Lily," he mused, loosening his hold on her hand and watching as she made her way to the stairs, his own feet moving despite his mild shock at her touch.

The rest, in Lily's view, was rather simple. Vera had waited up to hear every little miniscule detail Lily had forgotten. Recapping the highlights, her friend had smiled, commentated, and fawned at all the right moments, the result of reading one too many muggle teen tabloids. The moment she told of her goodnight address, the Fairy Godmother went to bed, moaning how Lily had wasted her perfect chance to 'Lay a wet one' on James Potter.

"Hark fair maidens," Sirius exclaimed as he threw the door open and entered their compartment, calling her out of her recollections. "I am Sir Padfoot, here with my trusty stag Prongs, noble wizard Moony and local peasant Wormtail. We seek shelter and transport to London, may we reside with you for the remainder of our journey?" He winked as they helped themselves to seats.

"Oh stuff it Sir Bigfoot," Lily joked as she adjusted herself to the now cramped compartment. For her, it seemed like a bad round of musical chairs, Vera found herself with Sirius and Peter on either side while she was sandwiched between the noble wizard and the trusty stag...

"Aren't we all nice and cozy?" Sirius smirked attempting to put his arm around Vera's shoulder that was overlapping with Peter's. "Pete, scoot away, I'm touching Vera, not you."

"I can't move Padfoot," Peter whined, trying to shift, "There's a blasted wall in the way."

"You could always just find a place with the rest of the ra-"

"Oi Lily, how about we go and check on that one thing?" James asked, trying hard not to nudge his boney elbows into her side.

"That _thing_?" she asked, both puzzled and uncomfortable. "Potter what are you…"

"You know, that _thing_ in the heads compartment Mc G said we'd need to look at before we got off the train? I can't believe I forgot it till right now."

"But didn't we…" the sudden realization hit her as she caught the wink from his eye, "Oh, that thing... Remus you wouldn't mind?"

"Not at all, you two go ahead," he shifted, taking in a full breath once the bench emptied out and the two heads exited the cramped compartment.

"I swear, those things were a lot bigger when we were younger," James complained, stretching his arms out as they made their way down the carriage. "You don't mind though, faking 'patrol'?" He asked trying to decipher her thoughts by the way she was walking next to him. Her arms had a slight sway to them, just like they did during all their patrols.

"Do I mind?" She echoed with a laugh. "Not at all, it's a good thing you're going home Potter, You're mum needs to get some meat on those elbows," she kidded, rubbing her side that had falling victim to one of his weapons.

"Oh she's tried for years, just like she did when she married my dad. Potter men, we may be all muscle but our elbows refuse to be soft," he joked, tucking his hands in his pockets and looking down at her with a schoolboy charm. "I didn't get you too hard did I?" He asked, looking down at her torso a shade longer than she would've liked.

"I think I'll be fine, nothing can beat the busies on my feet," she jested watching with some delight as he removed his eyes from her side and started to fluster with what could be red coming to his cheeks.

"My mum was able to fix that in dad, so maybe there's hope for me," he started as he slid open the door for her in the Heads Compartment "Maybe I can be trained, you never know? Think I could redeem myself?"

"Whatever you say James," she sighed, shaking her head as she stretched her arms about the open space she hadn't had in the old compartment. "Now this is better. Do you think we ought to have invited Remus to come along?" she asked, suddenly taken back to the scene of the others.

"Nah, I'm sure they're alright," James answered all to quickly as he began rummaging through his cloak pockets. "Anyways, since they're not here, I can give you this without either of us being mocked for the rest of the school year," he grinned as he pulled out the small red box with gold trimmings.

Almost as traditional as the Halloween feast, Lily had nearly always woken up Valentines morning, gotten herself ready for the day, and sat eating breakfast in the morning when Owl Post Came. And for the past three or so years, a white owl would fall in front of her carrying _this_ little red box.

While the tradition was always the same, the contents of it varied. The first year, it had been earrings from 'Your Secret Admirer.' At fourteen, she was rather taken up in it all didn't stop for a moment as she put in the green jeweled earrings. She had bombarded Severus in potions that day if _he_ knew who sent them to her but he seemed too sour enough to talk that day. It didn't taken her long to find out as the earring suddenly started _whispering _her little thoughts and clues _Evans likes to hide how she feels for Potter _and _You should leave Snivellus and spend the evening with a real Gryffindor…_ _Listen to your heart and listen to your ears-James Potter would love to be your dear…_She took off the jinxed gems half way through the day and had thrown them in the bottom of her trunk, and retaliated by secretly switching out James and Sirius' ingredients with false ones their next potions class.

At fifteen, the little red box with gold trimmings had been an golden locket with ruby stones, that upon opening held a picture of Potter on one side, and her on the other. At sixteen, it had been a bracelet she refused to put on, fearing that it would cause her hand to react like a magnet and reach out for Potter's hand and last year, she had finally smartened up and not even opened the box when it came, instantly tossing it in the trunk while she watched in James sulk for the rest of the day.

When the little box came, Lily knew all to well how to dispose it: throw it in the bottom of her trunk and throw James a jelly legged hex. It worked quiet well, and for past few summers she was starting to think he liked the feeling of being jelly-ed and that perhaps she needed to find another hex for her eighteenth year . . . but obviously, it seemed James was going to play a hidden card and sneak a box before the dreaded valentines.

"You didn't need to get me anything," Lily smiled weakly, looking down at the little box.

"After you gave me the gift of a Slughorn evening, how could I pass the opportunity?" He asked with a smile shoving the red box her way. "Go ahead, I need you to open it…"

"Shouldn't I wait till Christmas morning?" she asked. The sudden thought hit her that James was running out of articles of jewelry to give her. Earrings, lockets, and bracelets…perhaps a jeweled set of combs? The only thing he had failed to give her was a ring…_oh Merlin…_

"No, I need you to open it now, I have to do something with it," he explained, sitting across from her. "Go ahead, it's not going to bite. Open it before we get to London," he teased looking at the rolling hillside that was starting to disappear as the train increased its speed as it headed south.

_He needs to do something with it? Like what? _She panicked as she took the box that felt like iron bands in her hand, hot and heavy. _Stay calm Lily, James wouldn't possibly give you an engagement ring. There's nothing to engage. After all, he's been trying to prove something to you these past few months, and none of them have been marriage related,_ she thought to herself. After all, it was true. She couldn't remember the last time he had joked with her about their future lives and yard full of kids. In the past month he had made one reference about marriage with his 'carrying you over the threshold' line, but really, that was tame compared to their sixth year when Sirius had shared some of his favorite names for his godchildren with her.

"You know, you don't owe me anything James…" she smiled, looking up at him. "The whole party last night, it was all in the name of friendship…I don't need…"

"Listen Lily, friends give gifts," he said, matching his eyes to hers, "And considering the fact we've made it through the semester without killing each other, I think you deserve it. Now please open your present?"

"A bossy little reindeer you are," she glared, as she started wrestling the ribbon off the box.

"I'm a stag Lily, we're a higher caliber of deer," he started, having not taken to her calling him "Rudolf" rather than "James" or the still popular "Potter." Still he kept his eyes focused on her, a little apprehension floating on the surface and a nervous crooked smile cocked on his face, "Now, if you don't mind, I need you to open this now."

"James," she started, biting her lip.

"Go on Evans, open it before we get to the station," he said waving her on, unphased by her growing distress.

_James Potter, if this is a ring so help me…__It's not like I can hex you because I'd end up feeling guilty. Damn you James, we've become so friendly I can't even hex you when you deserve it._

Lily mechanically unwrapped the box, and looking down to see a small, white jewelers box. The soft, silky feel of it burning her worrisome fingers.

"Potter…"

"Just open it," he said, as even as he ever did, his hazel eyes insisting. _This isn't as bad as all those valentine presents, _she thought as she looked down at the box, her hands slightly trembling wondering how she could work this refusal down if this was even a modest proposal. _Everything had been getting normal, I was okay with him as a friend, and now he's doing this?_

She lowered her eyes to see the soft green gleam of an emerald resting amongst the soft white of the box, a smile cracked upon her face.

"You got me a balloon?" she asked, looking at the deflated green mesh as though it was the most beautiful non engagement ring in the world, "James, I can honestly say I'm surprised," she admitted,_ unless this is some orthodox wizard proposal, this isn't bad, _she though holding back laugh as he then took the balloon out of her hand.

"Oi, what are you doing with my gift?"

"You'll see," he mused as he stretched it out, bringing it up to his mouth and beginning to fill it. "Potter…stop, you're using my gift!"

Mid breath he stopped, pulling it away, "Do you trust me Evans?" His features turning from soft to serious.

"Yes," she answered, "But…why?"

"Just trust me," he said, as he continued blowing the balloon till it was near the size of a quaffle. "Alright, I need you to give it one last breath," he said pinching the end and passing it on to her, her eye brows bent and confused, "You want me to finish blowing up an already near blown-"

"Just trust me Lily," he said, shaking his head, his face now a vivid red from lack of air, "Haven't I been a good Head Boy this term?"

The strange combination of his weak smile and pleading eyes hit Lily's insides with the strange sense of discomfort that James seemed to have over her. She released the balloon and gave it one final blow before tying it up with James nod of approval.

"Now what I do Father Christmas?" Lily asked, looking at the Quaffle Balloon. 'Can I pop it now?"

"No," he said far to quickly, his eyes drawn wide "No, you need to make sure no harm comes to that balloon between now and Christmas. You trust me right?" He asked, leaving Lily inquiring how many times she could be asked her faith and trust in James Potter before changing her answer.

"Yes, I trust you," she echoed all the same.

"Now, Christmas Eve, before you go to bed, put this on your night stand or a stable surface, understand? It needs to be stable," he continued.

"Alright, anything else?" she asked, setting the balloon down next to her, as he gave a breath of relief.

"Nope, but did you notice?" he asked, taking the balloon from her hands and lifting it to the side of his head.

_He's truly gone bonkers, _she thought a she looked at him again.

"Notice what James?"

"Doesn't my head look a little smaller to you?" He asked, a small smile lighting his features.

"I suppose, but what does that have to do with my balloon?"

"Well, I deflated a bit of my head filled with hot air," he grinned, thinking it was the cleverest line he had ever used on her, "A double Christmas gift, just for you Evans."

A smile found it's way to her face, "I'm honored that your head would shrink on my behalf,' she said as she took the balloon from him. "Thank you James, I'll treasure my Potter balloon of hot air always."

"Good, just remember to keep it stable, that's important," he stressed. "You don't want the balloon…"

"Does your hot air cause a dangerous explosion?" She asked raising an eyebrow, but knowing better than to pry any more.

"We probably ought to head out and help clear the train," she started. "Besides, I think the others might start wondering where we've wandered off to if they don't see us soon."

"Can you make me a promise Evans?" He asked rising with her but positioning himself so he guarded the door.

"I suppose if that means you'll let me out eventually," she shrugged.

"Promise me you'll have a Happy Christmas and play nice with Pansy and Vergil and not let them ruin your holiday?" He asked, cocking his usual confident smile on his face.

"Petunia and Vernon," Lily laughed. "And I promise, they won't ruin my holiday."

"Well then," he started, flicking the door open and following her out, "Have a Happy Christmas."

"You too James," she called out, as she took the opposite end of the train, helping the first and third year Hufflepuffs with their bags as they prepared for their returned to the platform.

* * *

(*)

* * *

A slight _pop _cracked over the nicely trimmed hedges and the wooden fences of the Potter's Salisbury home. Despite the snow on the grounds, James could see his mother's bright red roses shining near the front door as he made his way up the walk. Many of their Muggle neighbors had asked through the years, but none of them seemed to be able to mimic Dori Potter's _magical _green thumb in keeping her roses blooming in the winter months.

Not even half way up the stone path front walk, the old oak door swung open, a stout little woman with faded red hair and sparkling blue eyes beamed up at him. "Jamie!" She exclaimed, rushing down to greet him.

James had never thought of his parents as _old._ While it had surprised Sirius at the end of first year meeting the aged Mr. and Mrs. Potter (apparently, he hadn't envisioned the man who taught James how to fly would look like the portrait of his grandfather), he had always thought of them more experienced then they where aged. His mum looked only a hair older than McGonagall, only having more laugh lines then she did creases on her face. Her once fiery hair was now going white, but all the same lightly layered on her head. _She's not old, _James thought to himself and judging to the strength in her welcoming hug, she wasn't getting old anytime soon.

"Sirius hasn't got in yet," she started in her usual motherly chatter. "But I suspect he's going to see Vera off before he comes home...wait, why are you here so early? Didn't you see Lily to Stockport?" She asked turning to question her son. "You know, we still have that spare guest room if _ever_ you want to have her over..."

"Mum…" James started, opening the door for his mother before he swung his trunk through and made his way through the front entrance decked out with holly and winter wrappings.

"Well, I'm just offering. The way you described her relationship with that sister of her's and the marriage to the Muggle whale-"

"That's why I didn't go to see her off. I had to say bye to her on the train, she had to hurry and meet Pansy for an engagement party tonight," he explained, hoping it would lay off the questions of his mother. He knew it was to no avail. If anything, his mother was just as strong an inquisitor as Lily.

"Merlin Bless her soul," the woman sighed, shaking her head as they headed towards the living room. "You know she's always welcome here. When do your Father and I get to meet our future daughter-in-law anyhow? Did you behave yourself this term? Nothing I need to apologize for?"

"Nothing mum," James sighed, sitting on the chesterfield couch nearest the fireplace as the house elf poured their tea. "I'll introduce you the first chance I get, I just have to make sure it's the right timing," he explained. "When I do finally bring Lily home, you probably shouldn't dive in with the in-law conversations, Lily's a jumpy little doe."

"Well, I'm not getting any younger, and I'm not going to my grave till I see a grandchild so you two best get jumping on a wedding," the old witch chuckled, thanking the elf before she left the room.

"I guess dear mother, you best intend to live quiet a long time; I don't see Lily Evans as the marrying young type," James smiled looking at the woman he had always envisioned would live forever, sipping her tea and enchanting her crochet hooks.

"Be that as it may, each day gets darker. You need a woman like Lily. She'll keep you grounded," she nodded curtly, sipping her tea from the little porcelain cup. "I was talking with Augusta Longbottom the other day and she agrees with me. She's been hinting to her son about his girl for quiet some time now. We don't understand it, Back our time, every witch was the marry young type, to be single at 20 meant a spinster by 30."

"They sure don't make many like you Mum," he smiled, rising up to kiss her cheek as he headed outside, preparing to poise an attack on his near brother who wouldn't hesitate to ask how his travels with Lily had been. He could only hope she followed his instructions about caring for the balloon, but now, no form of magic could help him through the next few weeks separated from her presence. If courting Lily had taught him one thing after all, he thought from behind the hedge, there was no counter spell to patience.

* * *

AN: I don't know why, but I've always thought 'Jamie' was a cute little nick name for James . . and the hot air-well, I just thought that fit lovely. Either, you all know the drill: send a PM or a Review if you loved, hated or were satisfied with the above chapter. I always appreciate them and it makes all the difference in the world. Have a fantastic week and till next time~KH


	14. Light a Candle

AN: Thank you guys for the reviews and adds this past week. Really, it's been an outstanding boost for my first week of classes. There were two big things that popped up in the reviews that I feel I should address:

Concerning the looming deaths of the Evanses and Potters: I know they have to die. I won't make this one of those AU fics where Mrs. Potter is still alive and Harry grows up with his grandma. While I'd rather do that for poor Harry, I'll stick to the real story line. Just enjoy Mama and Papa E and P while you can... that and ElvesWizardsandCentersOhMy is an outstanding guesser.

Happy reading kiddos—KH.

* * *

Light a Candle

* * *

When her mother had written to her concerning the wedding preparations and festivities to take place during her Christmas holiday, Lily had thought that it would be nothing more than a collection of dismal fittings and stuffy tea parties. What she hadn't been prepared for was Petunia's new found desire for the mammoth of a wedding currently being planned.

Maybe it was because she hadn't been a part of a wedding before; she didn't know how busy and extravagant things ought to be. When the two Evans sisters where close and would spend afternoons playing dolls that got married, the affair was always a simple one. Sure, Lily acknowledged, they were only five and seven at the time, but how complex could you make saying a few words in front of a bishop?

Sunny girlhood days were spent where the doll would wake up one morning, put on a white dress and grab some flowers. The doll would then walk to the church with it's girl friends, agree to tolerate and love the guy next to the Vicar, and hurry back to the house for some cake and presents. In childhood, it was as simple as that. Now at twenty and nearly eighteen, Petunia-or at least her groom-had blown the simple celebration into a church wedding and lavish reception that was more extravagant and lively than the soon-to-be bride and groom themselves.

Despite the battle wounds that decorated her feet, the moment Lily had apparated back to her childhood home; she had been enlisted in her mother's wedding preparation army. The actual ceremony was still nearly three months away, but Charlotte Evans was in rare form in making sure that the engagement party ran smoothly. At first, Lily had been thrilled to be free of the house so early in the visit, even if it meant running errands, when she was sent with her father to the train station to pick up Mrs. Dursley and Margie, she thought perhaps it wouldn't be that bad and her dad had exaggerated in his letters to her. But from the moment she saw the two women who stepped on to the platform, she could feel herself miss Hogwarts and her friends all the more.

Mrs. Dursley was the exact image Lily had of the old lady that swallowed a fly. A head short of her own height, Edna had the same 'big bones' as her son and coarse grey hair that was curled in tight ringlets then pinned to her head, covered by a small women's bowler hat. A stern woman, she'd have made Professor McGonagall look like a Marauder, with a smile as iron clad as her belt. Her daughter, 'Precious Margie' seemed well on her way to following her mother's happy demeanor. Perhaps if she had smiled and _pretended_ she enjoyed life, Margie would look attractive, but rather she spoiled her fair blue eyes and honey colored curls with pinched lips and crinkled brows that gave her the appearance of having drank rancid milk.

"If I didn't know your sister the way I do, I'd swear before the Queen your sister took some of those drugs when she was at Kimbolten," her father murmured as they lifted the large bags from the car, taking their time in pulling up the luggage and avoiding the Dursley guests as they trotted into the house. The moment they where inside, filling their saucers with her mother's crescent sandwiches, Lily flicked her wand and the trunks started carrying themselves while her father carried on in his frustration, "What Tuney sees in this family, I'll never know."

"Perhaps it's their shared love for customariness and hatred for all things abnormal?" She suggested, sharing confusion with her father on the attraction Tuney had for the lump of a man. " Or maybe she just loves the idea of marrying and being on her own. You know Petunia, she's always been in a middle age mind set, and now she can act on it."

"Either way," Richard Evans mumbled, "I think she's settling on Vernon. Ever since Harvey Gallagher married that girl, she's been set on marriage. She could've married that nice Gough boy down the street. You know he's always had a fancy to her. But no…Vernon Dursley..."

"On the bright side, this should be the last you see of them before the wedding," Lily compensated, finding a small piece of joy. "And even after the wedding, you only have to see them when Petunia begs you to visit. I know you're in laws won't be Cliff and Ann Gough, but lucky for you Edna lives in the south..."

"Lucky for me Earl died before I had to put up with him too," her father smirked, throwing her the impish grin she inherited from him. "We'd have to have slaughtered a cow to feed all of them if that wasn't the case."

"Daddy…" she smiled at her father's mocking nature.

"Just promise me Lils," her father started, opening the door that led to the kitchen, for once deserted by her mother. "When you get married, he'll be a descent chap. One that you're not settling on and that comes from a good family. Don't get me wrong, I'm not asking for you to marry money or saints, just… find you a nice wizard boy that could get the world for you if you asked him for it. One that you'll always love. The one that's meant just for you and none other."

"Yes Dad," she answered quickly, the words coming out only to be cut off again by her father as they snuck to the main hallway, back into the clutches of the wedding planning mother.

"I mean it Lily, there's nothing more painful to a parent than knowing their child is settling for something less than perfect," Mr. Evans finished as her mother found them and began assigning more tasks to be done.

The engagement festivities must have had everyone on edge, she thought, for no other reason would her father had cornered her on the sort of man _she _should marry._ Nerves, that's all, he's just a bit nervous_ she decided. Though Lily had then been assigned to making more of the little tea cakes for the party, her mind and homesick heart turned to the boy she had just left hours before, who had once called her _his world. _The boy, who was more a man, who had been her constant companion, though oft times undesired companion, for nearly seven years.

And although she wouldn't admit why, she couldn't help but smile as she made the little designs on the pastries and cakes, absolutely oblivious to her mother's orders and her sister's growing anxiety over her future mother in law.

* * *

((*))

* * *

The church grounds were covered with a thick blanket of snow, as though the heavens where tucking those in their graves for a long winter nap. The usual Christmas glow flooded out of the stained glass windows, sending rays of color on the snow that now crunched softly under his feet. He drew the black coat tightly around his frame as he made his way through the path leading up to the church, the local muggles filing in, taking their time to greet the bishops and other clergy, wishing the occasional stranger a 'Happy Christmas' before finding their spots in the pews.

He had only stepped foot in this parish a handful of times in his seventeen years, and most of them had been with her. Sometimes they had ventured into the century old tower to get a view of the town, all while daring one another to ring the mysterious bells. Other times, he had joined her family on their pew for a Sunday service or a holiday celebration such as this.

That was the only reason he was there tonight, he knew _she _would be there, safely tucked in between her mother and father, not a care in the world. Sure enough, he could see the familiar flame of her red hair, wrapped in a sloppy bun as she sat with her family well towards the front. She turned so he could see her profile, whispering something to her mother before she smiled motioning a hand towards a little girl with golden braids dressed as a member of the choir, Lily's face bathed in the glow of her smile as well as the glow of the candles.

He always thought she looked beautiful by candlelight; it always complemented her, whether from the chapel's flame or the flames of her cauldron. She was like the flame, strong and deviant. She never wavered; she was a guiding light . . .. he had questioned many things throughout his years, but he had never found the inner gusto to question Lily Evans flameful nature. She could find those that loved her, she loved them in return. Just as easily as she could find her place in the wizarding world, she could find it-or at least _act _like she could find it-in the muggle world. Wherever she went, that light followed round her. She hadn't been enveloped in the dark. She had never seen friends leave her for bitter enemies. Praise God, she'd never felt the sinking lonesomess of being swallowed in solitude...

"There's no need to sit out by your self, my son," an elderly voice called from behind. He turned around to see the old vicar standing at his back, his thinning silver hair showing his baldhead "This meeting brings us together in celebrating the birth our Lord. We are all brothers, none are strangers here. Could I find you a pew with more of our fold?"

"That's alright, I was just leaving," Severus murmured, attempting to rise as a withering hand clasped down on his shoulder, keeping him at his pew.

"If you were just coming to leave, why come at all?" the old man smiled, his blue grey eyes piercing down on the boy in robes that hung too loosely to his frame. A look of confusion cracked on his face, "Have you joined us before? You look familiar, you're the boy that used to come up with the Evans girl every now and again...Seamus isn't it?"

"Severus," he answered bleakly as he tried to escape. _Why did you even come here, you weren't going to speak to her…-and now you're stuck with some old, optimistic Vicar... there's no hope for you so why bother? You can't fake this long; you're not the slightest bit religious..._

"She's here you know, just came back from school for the season," the old man carried on with his smile. "I know her pew is rather full, but that's what's so beautiful about pews, you can always squeeze another body in it. Come, she'll be glad to see you…."

"That's alright," he answered, finally escaping the grasp of the withered fingers. "I just came to light a candle and am needed back home, my mother's expecting me. She's not feeling well," he said quickly, hoping that little lie at the end would set free him from the vicar's inquiries.

"Is you're mother well? My wife and Mrs. Evans could come and visit her, bring her companionship when you're at school…"

"That's alright sir…"

" Reverend Carraway," the man said with a still welcoming smile that lit his face as though it was one of the little candles that lined the windows. "We'll pray for your mother good health and good friends. On this the day when we celebrate the greatest gift of all, I'm sure she rejoices in the gift of a son as attentive as you. Go in peace and Godspeed," the elderly man smiled as he disappeared again, this time Severus leaving the warmth and heavenly glow of the cathedral for the bitter cold and emptiness of the Christmas night.

_Attentive son, -_he couldn't help but smirk in disgust with himself. She didn't know he had come back to Stockport Cheadle tonight. He had written a brief letter saying he needed to stay at school to prepare for the N.E., to which his mother hadn't sent a reply. If he were to go back to Spinner's End tonight, he didn't know who or what he'd find in the house. He hadn't seen his father since the summer her returned after his third year. His mother, she had tried towards the end, tried to make things normal for him. Once Tobias had left, Eileen Snape had tried to give some sort of penance to her son for all those years of neglect, but he had no desire to form bonds of family now. He had a new family. A stronger family. One that would never bend to the defeat and muggle weakness his original had.

"You're late Severus," Macnair grumbled, leaning against one of the tombstones in the yard. "Get caught up in the glow of the choir and muggle sentiment?"

"_You _were late and _I _wasn't going to wait out in the cold yard, night like this it wouldn't take long for you to freeze and join the dead in their graves" Severus replied, kicking the snow underneath his boot, the frost of his breath rising in the air. "Where are we going now?"

"London, Reg figures he'd have a hard time giving his mum the slip before dinner. No matter, if he's not ready when we get there, we'll just go before the Dark Lord ourselves."

"Yes," Severus sighed, leaving the shadow of the steeple caused by the moonlight. He was beyond the help of the inquisitive Vicar and lighting candles. There wasn't any turning back now. He refused to look back at the old church and the girl who sat in it. He doubted _she _could even save him now . . .

* * *

((*))

* * *

When Lily opened her eyes the next morning, she couldn't help but wonder the last time she had enjoyed such a night's sleep. Exhausted, she had mechanically crawled into her bed after the Christmas Eve service and enjoyed a night where she wasn't plagued by nightmares or James Potter induced insomnia. Instead, she was rolled on to her side and looked out the window from her bed, watching the flurries of snow dance towards earth.

She could hear the sizzling of bacon downstairs and the occasional creak of the floorboards as her mother and father took turns preparing breakfast. She didn't want to get up, she didn't want to reveal that she was awake in fear that her mother was serious and they only had a few hours away from boarding a train to Surrey to visit Mrs. Dursley. Why the old bat had to rush home after the engagement party she'd never know, but she wasn't going to let that get in her way… at least not now.

For now, at the very least, Lily could still look forward to her mother tapping on the door and telling her to wake up. The family would gather around the kitchen table and shovel down some of her father's omelets and bacon before they opened gifts. Petunia would probably open a gift destined for her new life with Vernon while she would be getting her own mismatch of house ware for her apartment post-Hogwarts. She'd probably have a gift from Vera, a book from Remus and then there was Potter…

_The balloon! _She remembered, rising up from her bed as she threw her feet to the ground, trying to remember where she had 'stabilized' the emerald orb. For the longest time it had stayed downstairs with her trunk, Margie had nearly slipped on it the moment she arrived in the house which had prompted Mrs. Evans to tell her to either pop it or move it. _She _had nearly slipped on it yesterday evening as she dressed for Church...but she had moved it to her window seat after damning James Potter and his hot air.

On the initial glance, it wasn't there. There was no sign of the emerald balloon at all, but instead there was something else that appeared in between her teddy bears from childhood. She sat down on the seat and lifted up another red box with golden ribbon, this time it was heavier than any that had preceded it. What more, a little white slip of paper, serving as a make shift card poked out from the bow, easily fished out by her long fingers to read.

_Have a Magical Christmas Lily Evans—and play nice with Vergil and Pansy! As always, JP_

_Ever the romantic, _Lily thought to herself, as she lift the lid. After discarding what appeared to be yards of tissue paper, as well as considering he had sent her an empty box-balloon-thing, her hands finally wrapped themselves around a smooth, glass orb resting on a stand.

"Sure, I see how it is Potter, you gave me an orb," she murmured, tucking her hair back. Although she wouldn't put him past a crystal ball that was meant to 'show him in her future,' she had thought he was past those childish acts. Wrapping her fingers around it, she lifted the ball out only to find it wasn't a crystal ball for divination but rather another sort of little orb.

Resting atop a bronze stand, decorated with images of Hogsmeade shops along the base, was her snow globe. The inner globe held her castle, the snow still covering her grounds, the trees and the lake. _This is one hell of a balloon,_ she thought to herself, never again doubting James Potter's transfiguration skills.

She flipped it over to turn the music key, wondering what possible song he could've picked for this gift. She chocked back a laugh, as the beginning of _Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer_ began to play and watched in a shocked awe as a little stag emerged from the forest, meeting up with a little red haired girl that came out of the castle.

Curiosity continued to engulf her. She shook the globe, watching the little flakes fall on them both and the stag transform now into a black haired boy standing beside her, his face to small to show the smile she knew he'd be wearing if this meeting was real. With another shake of the globe, the boy was gone and returned again was the stag.

"_Lily! Petunia!" _she could hear her mother from bellow signaling that the peace and serenity of Christmas morning was coming to an end, "_Breakfast—now! Our train leaves in two hours!"_

A smile flickered on her own face and she couldn't help but feel warmth sweep through her body. She was thankful he was kilometers away, probably engaged in a snowball fight with Sirius or eating his weight in bacon, for she knew quiet well if he was in the room with her, he would've witnessed a soft look and deep blush that covered her face, and quiet possibly been engulfed by the strongest embrace she could muster.

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((*))

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"Jamie Boy, you need to stop looking out the window every ten minutes, it's getting rather pathetic," Sirius complained as he packed up his gifts given to him by Mr. and Mrs. Potter in his trunk the night before term. "If she was going to send you an owl, I think she would've done so by now. She'll probably thank you tomorrow on the train."

"But she was supposed to feel all girly when the balloon transformed and whatever emotion the girl brain triggers was supposed to tell her subconscious she loves me!" James exclaimed completely dejected, falling with little grace into the pillow lying on the floor. "What's the point of trying to be romantic if the girl doesn't respond?"

"Prongs, stop reading that book Moony sent you and become a man for Merlin's sake," Sirius groaned, clicking his trunk shut. "I've been supportive through all of these years of you chasing Evans, but don't turn into a mushy Hufflepuff. You need to go after her like you go after anything in life…"

"On a broomstick?" James asked, raising his head from his pillowed sanctuary, his expression puzzled.

"No, _manly._ She's a Gryffindor, so we know she lives for bravery, courage, _nerve…_she need's a man; not some sap with snow globes," Sirius explained coolly, "You think I wooed Vera with hand made snowflakes?"

"If memory serves right Miss McKinnon has been set on you since Nimbus Wood graduated two years ago . . . you did nothing at all if I'm right. And you _still _don't do anything at all for that matter."

"And yet I still get snogging privileges and starry eyed looks," the handsome Black jested as he laid out on top of the burgundy doublet that covered his bed, "and for that, I didn't even have to bother about sending a gift."

James had never felt so self-conscious as he had over the Christmas Holidays. While he had had several fantasies of how Lily would react to the Christmas Snow Globe, none of them had included her silence. He had been hoping for something bigger then that. He had expected her owl to swoop down on him while he and Sirius had their annual snowball fight. He had visions of her apparating into the front lawn with her pajamas on, clutching the snow globe in one hand while strangling him in an embrace with the other . . . With each passing day his anticipation made his fantasies grow stronger to the point that at his mother's annual New Years Party, he half expected her to walk down the staircase in her classy dress from Slughorns; Pearls in her hair, her emerald eyes shinning just for him, everything in the world _perfect._

_Perhaps Sirius is right, _he thought to himself; _perhaps I should've not given her anything at all. Maybe she'd rather it just have been a balloon of hot air…_but he hadn't wanted it to be that simple. It had to be deeper. Be more complex. More like_ them._

"But Lily's different," James said, rising from where he had sat on the floor and now walking to the marble fireplace ablaze with flames that resembled her flushed cheeks. "She's like a fire, she lights little fires that rage the landscape with her temper. She could raise villages to the ground with her fearless attitude, but she can be soft. Like the weakest flame, almost like lighting a candle, it just takes a steady hand, a steady look for the flame to consume the wick."

"You have no idea how ridiculous you just sounded Prongs," Sirius laughed reaching out for the Evening Prophet. "And trust me—I've heard some pretty ridiculous things in my years."

"Yeah, well most of them you've said if memory serves right," James snickered, turning from the fireplace. "For example, what were you on when you told Professor McGonagall she had bewitched your heart and stolen your soul our fourth year?"

"Thin ice. If memory serves correct, I was on extremely thin ice," Padfoot chuckled, as he turned the cover and began skimming the Prophet, a normally out of character experience if it wasn't for the fact the Evening Prophet carried a more extensive Quidditch follow up.

"How'd Portree do against Puddlemere?" James asked. "New Year's Scrimmage work out for your boys?"

"They bloody well canceled the match," Sirius murmured, staring at the opposite page before looking up at James. "Oi—Prongsie, where does Evans live again? Stockshort?" he asked warily.

"Stockport, but yes. But why did they cancel the match?" That didn't make sense…. nothing had ever cancelled a Portree Quidditch game…unless you counted the Goblin revolt in 1783…and even then it was just postponed till the Ministry had subdued the riot and brought in the snitch.

"There was another attack in the Manchester area—" Sirius started as though stepping in delicate ground. "Muggles are saying it was a fire, gas line or something-anyway it's not the fire you were talking about. Two City Blocks consume in Fiendfyre in less than three minutes—scores of muggles dead or missing. Says Ministry officials had to report to a similar fire in Gately, south east of Cheadle near Stockport."

"_Fiendfyre?_" he asked, "But…but no one in their right mind would've…"_ just near Stockport James, there's no reason to think . . . _

But then again, she hadn't given him a reason to think otherwise.

"I'll be right back," James started, "If Mum comes in tell her I had to go see Moony about an essay…"

"Prongs just send her an owl, you're see her tomorrow…"

But James didn't want to spend a night worrying what would happen if he _didn't _end up seeing her tomorrow, and with a slight _pop_ and a faint idea where he was off too, the stag disappeared into the winter's night.

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AN:I love writing parents, I really really do. That and old clergy people.

Side note forgive my English geography. I guess now is the time to announce I'm from the states and heavily relied on Wikipedia and Travel UK. Now to the big note...sort like an answering machine... it's Kait again, writing to you from the Lovely World of University. Leave it to me, but I signed up for some ridiculously hard classes this term. I have a few more chapters stored away that are getting polished up, and will eventually get to the story, but I'm just asking for your support and cooperation. In layman terms, this term would give Hermione an ulcer and driving Ron to Drinking, and as for Harry—well, he could easily become 'The-Boy-Who-Survived-Voldemort-but-Died-by-textbooks."

Don't worry, this story is my new baby, I won't be dropping it. For the time being, let's just say my Professors are now Death Eaters and I'm in hiding.

Any questions, concerns, or lovely messages, feel free to PM or review. I really appreciate you guys, you are amazing. ~KH


	15. Things Left Unsaid

AN: Thanks to SarCoops for betaing this chapter. I really appreciate it! And also, thank you for all the reviews and love this story has gotten. Updating and hearing from you guys is often the silver lining during school—I swear, you guys are simply amazing! Last week was an evil cliff to leave you on, so enjoy for now:

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Things Left Unsaid

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James fell to the ground the moment he apparated into Stockport and found himself stumbling to get out of the snowdrifts. Shaking the snow from his torso, he took a moment to evaluate just how lucky he was to not have been splinched, having not the foggiest idea where he had just taken himself. He had never been to the Manchester area, but he didn't have to look for a sign to say where he was. The smell of brimstone and burning wood filled the heavy winter air, and although it was night, he could still see columns of smoke, churning it's way to the heavens all across the horizon despite being extinguished hours before. He was _exactly _where he had desired to be.

Another _pop_ and James was sprawling in the snow again. He scrambled up, preparing to stun whoever had knocked him down, only to see Padfoot lying where he had just been.

"What the hell are you doing here?" James asked as Sirius rose to his feet with easy grace, shaking the snow off his coat. "Didn't I tell you to stay incase Mum came up stairs?"

"Prongs, you seriously think your mum is going to believe _'He went to Moony's to ask about an essay?' _and I stayed at the house?" Sirius rolled his eyes at his mate. "First off, we never work on essays during the break. Forgive me brother, but I don't think even your mother would believe such a lie. What more, I actually like your Mum, I don't really want to lie to her. And if both of us are missing from the house, she and your father won't be as worried. Get with the program Prongsie."

"You have a point," James sighed as he looked around the alley his misdirection had taken him, and began walking towards the mouth of it to the main street. The streetlights were lit although the stores that lined the street were closed with save for the few pubs still welcomed midnight stragglers.

The city looked like one he could imagine her living in. The white stucco and green shudders of a pub, a building very similar to it with withered vines was possibly a hotel. Right across the street from the pub stood a brick building holding a bookshop he imagined she wandered into occasionally, making him think perhaps he could live here too.

"So where does Evans live?" Sirius asked, joining James at his side, a light spring in his step. "I always imagined she'd have a moat full of piranhas and other exotic man eating fishes around her house in case we pulled such a visit . . . do they have moats in Stockshort? Or perhaps she lives in a tower, I could see that too; her hag of a sister locks her up during visits."

"Stockport, that's all I know. She may have said something about going to Church at St. Mary's for the holiday, but really…" James trailed off, turning up another idyllic cobble stone street, paying attention to each open window in hopes he'd see a clue that would lead to Lily.

"James, do you have any idea how many people live in Stockport? Let alone how many different Evanses there are?" Sirius inquired. "Why couldn't you go like a girl with an unique name, Weisburger or Lamb?" His compatriot moaned following the stag, for once, on the hunt. "And don't get me started on St. Mary's...I'm sure every village has a St. Mary's…it's either her or George they go to. No one gives a care for the other saints, but they'll _always _be a Mary."

"Mate, if you're going to just grumble and make noise, I'm going to have to mute you out," James murmured, cranking his head to see through another window they passed before proving it false. " Please, just help me find Lily. Then we can go home, easy as that."

"You could just use the Summoning Charm? Doubt it would work but I think I could use a laugh," Sirius smirked, turning his eyes towards a window where a muggle girl had just turned her light off. "I just hope she's descent; the girl would probably maim you if you summon her in her night things, or better yet with her hair wet after a shower…"

"Padfoot," James warned, his voice hardening to indicate the seriousness of his warning.

"Sarcasm Prongs," Sirius sighed, shaking his head and kicking the snow. "You know, it's moments like this were I worry Operation Evans' is taking the fun out of you. No pranks, no jokes, applying to work for the _ministry," _he started as though he'd said a swear word. "She's turning you into a bloody saint!"

"Well unless we find her, I'm going to become a martyred saint," he growled, as he hastened his stride towards the corner where an old man stood holding a bag of groceries, his eyes drawn south towards the smoke filled clouds.

"Excuse me sir…" James asked halting the man before he crossed. He wore a heavy brown tweed coat and matching bowler, and with a harsh glance, James wished he had grabbed a coat and tucked in his shirt before he apparated out of the house. While Sirius had taken the extra measure, he was pretty sure that he looked like a hoodlum to this man and his black handlebar mustache who with a stern look could've passed for a younger Professor Slughorn.

"I don't have any money for you but there's a hostel down the street on your left," he said in a gruff voice, mumbling as he continued on his way, ignoring James.

"Sir, my friend failed to meet us at the train station and then we heard about the fire…" but his plea was still ignored as the gruff went on his way, mumbling about the ruddy _'Americans' 'Young People'_ and something that sounded like '_Rolling Stones'_.

"And that's what my father would call _Muggle_ _Hospitality_," Sirius said, shaking his head once he reached James' side again. "This is why we ask ladies, either elderly or young. Never middle age—they tend to be barking and hit you with a purse a couple times over. They say its hormones, but really its just pent up rage…. Or sexual frustration…."

"Pent up rage or not, all the ladies of which you speak are tucked in, it's nearly midnight," he lamented "Even if we find Evans she's going to hex us for the late hour.

"Why don't we just go back, I'm sure Lily's fine perhaps a little shaken up by what's gone on so near to her, but even if something _did_ happen, doesn't Dana Meadows work in the Department of Magical Related Deaths? We'd know by now..."

_"She's not dead!" _James snapped looking at his friend with a madman's eyes, his hand giving an involuntary twitch. He felt his pulse quicken at the very thought of Dana Meadow's filing a report with Frank Longbottom, and Longbottom arriving on his front door with his head hanging down…_that can't happen, you'd know, you'd have to know…_ "If she was, I would've felt something…" he started, speaking out his insanity. "I would've known she wasn't here, if she didn't make it...I just need to make sure she's okay…."

"James, you're bonkers," Sirius told him knocking over a trashcan as he cornered his friend against a brick wall. "You _wouldn't_ have felt anything because people don't feel when other people _go on._ I'm not saying she's dead, but pull your self together…."

A light turned on and the door opened at the nearest house across the street. Dressed in a blue housecoat, her hair in light curls running down her back, a threatening umbrella in hand and her wand in the other was a very living Lily.

"James! Sirius! What the devil are you doing here?" She gasped, looking at them both as she poked her head farther out the doorframe from the brick house. "It's midnight, there's been an attack and…."

"Lily," a woman's voice called from inside. "Did you spook the cats?"

"Come in, before your freeze," she ordered in a hasty whisper, motioning for them as they came across the street and filed in through the door. "And whatever you do, let _me _do the talking."

James walked into the Evans home and was instantly drawn to the simpleness of it. While boxes in the hallway indicated that they were already packing up the Christmas decorations, he could make out a tree still hanging in the front room. A faint light farther down the hallway hit the mismatched picture frames that held a chronological journey of a little girl in brown braids and a younger girl with a mane of red, all scattered at different heights along the wall.

_'Lumos!' _Lily muttered as more light filled the room. "I spooked that cats and found some guests Mum," Lily called to the woman at the top of the stairs wearing a long, daisy night robe, with her hair tied up in a handkerchief. James could see an older face that he was sure, in her youth, resembled her youngest daughter, while the red hair and stubborn glare must have been inherited by the man standing next to his wife.

"Oh, I didn't know we were expecting company," Mrs. Evans gasped, hurrying down the steps with a classic, polite smile. James could only wish that Mr. Evans would leave such a smile, but instead kept his glare between the two boys, as he followed his wife in his dark maroon robe.

"We just…"

"Mum, Dad this is Sirius Black and James Potter," she cut James off, shooting him a side look. "They go to school with me, remember. They heard about the accident and were worried," Lily promised, "Remember, I've written to you about James, he's Head Boy with me." She felt as though she had to add the last part quickly as she felt James shift beside her. _She writes about me? _He thought, _perhaps this wasn't a stupid idea after all..._

_"_Ah yes, isn't he the one that…"

"Welcome to our home," Mrs. Evans beamed, taking hold of her husband's hand as though trying to silence him. "You'll have to excuse Richard, he get's a little nippy after he's been woken up, don't you dearest?" She smiled, stroking her husband's neck affectionately.

"More like when we get visitors at twelve in the morning..." the older man grimaced as he continued staring down the boys. Mrs. Evans turned away from her husband and looked at her daughter and the two boys, "Lily, make sure you get the boys something to drink. It was awfully sweet for you two to come and check on, on, on us," she yawned.

"Oh it's alright Mrs. Evans, we didn't want to impose..."

"But it didn't stop you," Mr. Evans grumbled.

"I'll hear nothing off it. Please, stay and visit for a bit, if you'd like to stay the night, there's some blankets in the cupboard under the stairs," Mrs. Evans instructed as though they're arrival had always been planned.

"Oh mum that's alright," Lily started, looking at James with some hesitation, _Slumber party with Potter—and Black, oh, what would Vera say? Probably something about 'Second Chance Cinderella…say your bloody name and kiss the man!' Blasted Vera…_

"Be a good hostess Lilybeth," Her mum instructed simply and looked at the two teenage boys standing in her entryway. "It was a pleasure meeting you boys, you'll have to excuse Richard and I, it's past our bed times."

"We're leaving them?" Mr. Evans asked as his wife took his arm and guided him back up the stairs. "Lettie, what do we know about these boys, for all we know... didn't Lily used to say..." James could only grimace on the spot as he heard the father's chunderings as they disappeared up the stairs and down to another bedroom.

"Charming dad," Sirius mumbled as soon as he heard the door click. "Apparently you didn't leave anything out of your letters did you?"

"It's good to see you too Sirius," Lily sighed, slapping his head and muffling his hair with some affection. "Come on, I'll put the kettle on and you two can tell me what you're up to."

Following her down to the hallway, James delighted in following a living shadow a scent of caramel and peppermint lingering behind her. "How'd you know we came because of the accident?" James asked as they walked into the small Muggle kitchen, Lily mechanically pulling out a tarnished red kettle and filling it with water before she threw in some tea bags.

"Frank Longbottom said you'd probably come by," she yawned, waving her wand and pulling out three chairs for them to sit at as the tea brewed. "I thought about writing a letter and telling you I was ok, but I figured Gabe doesn't know where you live and I'd just see you tomorrow. I had just finished writing to Remus when I heard you."

"_I told you," _Sirius poked, reclining into his chair, "I really did, I told him that you'd be on the platform right as rain but—"

"I was still worried," James interrupted again, a faint hint of pink on his face. "Even if I got Gabe, I'd still probably have tried tracking you down. Where you anywhere near the accident when it happened?"

Lily rubbed her eyes, for the first time appearing worn and tiered, "My dad and I had spent the morning in the shopping district, just a block down from where the attack came, but we were home when the fire started." Her eyes turned to James, "I've never seen fire like that, I never knew magic could consume _that _much that quickly."

"Do they have a final body count?" Sirius asked, his tone serious for once. " Did Frank mention any leads? Were the Death Eaters after anything? Anyone?"

"I'm sure a count will be in tomorrow's edition of the Prophet," Lily replied, folding her hands in her lap nervously, "But there's only two wizards I know that live in this area." She lifted her wand and began summoning the teacups and some ginger bread flat cakes, her fingers trying to busy her mind, unfolding and folding again. "I don't think they'd be after Severus, he isn't home for the holidays...and I don't know why they'd use that much just to get _me._ I think they were just killing for fun."

"_Snivilus_ lives near by?" Sirius asked with uncontrolled enthusiasm and lively smile. "Are you sure he's at Hogwarts-"

"It must have just been for fun," James murmured, reaching out to take her restless hand. He didn't want to think that the other was possible. That _they _would go to such great lengths to take her out. And with Fiendfyre of all ways, the Killing curse had the same effects, but was much more merciful than death by fire.

"It's a New Year scare Lily, I'm sure that they want to start the New Year scaring people... they want people to be afraid that this year will be the worse year."

"That's what Frank said when he came by," Lily said, her hands shaking in his. "He wanted to make sure I was alright, he said that more of this would probably happen and he's going to come set up security precautions for mum and dad tomorrow morning."

"_Accio kettle!" _Sirius said, breaking the worrisome silence between the three of them. "Did Frank say anything else?" He asked, looking at his best friend and Lily for a minute.

"He said I could…talk to you two about a resistance," she started, trying to keep her face calm even if her hands where betraying her actual nerves. "I told him that I wanted to stand up to them. That I wanted to fight. I knew a lot of people in the attacks. They were good people," she heaved in some air, trying not to envision all the empty pews that awaited Reverend Carraway at next week's service, nor all the funeral services that would be held in between. "Frank told me there are people like me. That there was a resistance. He said he was going to talk with the head of his organization, and that when the time comes, I could join them." She lowered her gaze to where her hand sat, entwined with James's. "He said _we_ could join them."

"See, Death Eaters won't be around next year," Sirius smiled, once again looking at them. "Just a bunch of overgrown boys running around in bed sheets. As soon as we're with the resistance, they'll start dropping like flies," he said with a near gentleness. Raising his wand, he poured the three teacups full of tea and raised his own. " _For them it's too late in 1978!"_ he said with a feigned smile as though he alone could bring ease to the situation. "Oh come on, it's not fire whisky, but it'll be just as good. Cheers you two!"

Loosening his hold, she took one of the teacups and joined James in raising his.

"Cheers," he smiled crookedly and gulped down his tea wishing it could've been just as easy as that.

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((*))

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As the clock struck two, Lily headed down the hallway to pull out some blankets from the cupboard. "No need to make us a bed Evans," Sirius said, getting his coat. "Mummy Potter will have our heads if she wakes up in the morning and we're not there." Giving her a slight punch in the shoulders, he opened the front door where flakes were again gently falling on the city, as though the heavens where trying to erase the burning heat that had raged some parts of it. "I'll be outside, need to find that damn star I'm named after..." he winked leaving the two alone in the front entryway.

"Thanks for taking us in," James started, his fingers digging down into his pockets, awkwardly, as though he was back at his muggle primary school, talking to a very pretty girl in his class. "I promise I won't apparate randomly now that I know where you live."

"Well, I think if you ever want to, just hope my mum's home and you'll always be welcome," she grinned weakly, darting her eyes from the door to him and back. "Would you like a coat? I know you're only going to be out for a minute, but its still pretty cold. You could borrow one of my dad's, Merlin knows he has enough…"

"I think you're dad would kill me if I walk out with one of his coats," he joked, slanting his head. "I don't get the feeling he likes me much."

He watched her pulling winter articles out of a bin in the closet, emerging with a scarlet scarf and matching hat. "He's just a bit over protective at the moment," she started, wrapping the thick wool scarf about his neck and cranking up on her toes to do the same with his cap. "His eldest daughter's getting married, he'd have done the same to you if you where the Gough boy down the street, he's not ready to see me go yet," she explained, tugging the cap till it sat on his head to her liking.

_I don't want to see you go yet either, _he thought for a minute, _at least, not anywhere without me._ Although he was sure the two of them would be sleeping on the way back to Hogwarts, he was glad he had overreacted and tracked her down. For him, just sitting and laughing at each other's holiday had chased away the thoughts of a wizarding war, of the looming death and destruction that seemed ready to lay out before them. She looked happier now than she had when they first sat around the kitchen table. If anything, perhaps tonight she'd sleep and not dream of the fire that had threatened her home, that she wouldn't dream of the murderers lurking about the country, perhaps she'd dream of happier things.

However, he couldn't place the new look on her face. Her eyes rested on the door for a moment before she turned to James, her eyes softer then they where when she had opened the door and found him out there in the winter cold. Chewing on her lip, she wrapped her arms around his torso and gave him for what seemed like would be a one sided hug. James could just stand there near petrified before his arms obeyed his brain and wrapped her closer to him, a hand firm on her back while another juggled her loose long, silky curls.

"Thank you for the snow globe," she whispered in his ear, the warmth of her breath tickling his neck "I really did love it."

"Thank you for being alive," he replied, holding her so tightly he could feel her heart beat bellow his, just as fast, "I really love you."

For once, she didn't shrink back, or give him a roll of the emerald eyes. She didn't drop her arms and push him away, but rather she burrowed her face, just as she had done weeks ago when he carried her across the Common Room.

"Well, in that case, you better start making friends with my dad," she murmured, relaxed in his embrace as they together swayed on the spot "Next time you come, bring some marmalade."

James left the house on Thortonberry Road with a slight bounce in his step. Sirius couldn't help but give a smirk while his imagination ran rapid, watching his friend bask in newfound happiness as they apparated back to Salisbury.

Yes, James acknowledged, tomorrow they would probably fall asleep on the train, but this time they would probably fall asleep on each other's shoulder, exhausted but alive and together in the Heads compartment.

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AN: So apparently that last chapter was a bit of cliff hanger. I hope that this was recompense and all is well with you again.

I know, James and Lily had their moment. Let's all join in with a collective and wonderful: Finally. I really hope it wasn't over the top cheesey and I've chased some of you away from this tale. But when you think of it, if the person you loved had been missing and feared dead, wouldn't you say those words that for years you had left unsaid?

Really, this is a lame author's note. I think this chapter should stand alone. Oh well, Thanks for reading guys! Remember to leave a review or send a PM. I love and admire you all!~KH


	16. From Me to We

AN: In the dark world of my major, you guys have been a heaven sent! Thank you for all the lovely reviews! This chapters a bit longer then the last few, but it also has a little more-i dunno, it's not sappy but its not cheesy either ( I hope)...oh well, you decide! Enjoy Chapter 16 Guys~KH

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From Me to We

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As they had following their first Hogsmeade excursion, James and Lily's new found attachment to one another stirred the Gryffindor table at the beginning of the new term. Alternative to the rumors that James had tried to seduce Lily during their Hogsmeade Patrol in the forest, the role of villain had now been assigned to Lily, who according to Lena Arnold ''slipped amortentia into James's pumpkin juice'' at the Slughorn Christmas Party, bewitched him out of his senses, and was only leading him on far enough to get his hopes up and then humiliate him horribly and dump him for a quickie romance with another Marauder, most likely before the Quidditch final.

Those that knew them best, all but ignored the rumors out of hand, Sirius having disclosed the events of Stockport to the entire compartment the moment Lily and James had left for 'duty' on the train. The new level of attachment seemed to be the only buoy of happiness in a troubled world in the eyes of the Gryffindor seventh years. Outside Hogwarts attacks like what had happened in Stockport were reported daily from the Prophet, and even more disappearances where surfacing. When their former Herbology Professor, Elena Rigby, was reported missing from her home in Liverpool, a hush fell over the castle like a mourners shroud. The darkness was becoming thicker, and just as bleak as the weather, and yet, life was still going on.

"N.E.W.T Examinations will begin promptly at noon on April tenth," Professor McGonagall announced midway through February in class after the students had completed the transformations of their needles to swords. Minerva McGonagall stood in front of the assembled students as an anchor to reality, waving her wand as exam subjects and dates filled the chalkboard.

"_April?"_ Peter echoed in a full cold sweat, a pale wave already claiming his face. "But O.W.L's..."

"O.W.L. examinations are graded much later into the summer Mr. Pettigrew," Professor McGonagall answered, her eyes set on some of her other, less diligent, pupils. "But N.E.W.T results will be posted two weeks before term ends so you can enter the job market or Ministry Trade Schools immediately after your stay at Hogwarts ends."

"Five sickles says Pete's going to faint," Sirius whispered to James who gave a slight twitch of his lip, trying to hold back a smirk as he watched his friend dig his nails into the century old desk.

"I will not begin to stress the importance of these exams. If you haven't begun preparation already, it would be wise of you to visit the Three Broomsticks and ask about the washer's position, it'll be the only thing available other than the Knight Bus for you," she sighed, her lips pinched, her eyes squinted near shut as the bell rang and the students quickly escaped from her class room, some more panicked than others, but all happy to be free of the subject and McGonagall's death stares.

The seventh year Gryffindors emerged with their usual housemates, Sirius flanked on one side with Vera, merrily babbling about her most recent letter from her nieces. On his left wash James who was similarly joined by Lily, still adamantly going on about increasing their time spent in the library_._

Remus took Lily's other free side, listening to her concerning babble that perhaps they ought to stop taking night duty and instead enroll the aid of the sixth year prefects. Though Remus doubted James was fully listening to her, he draped an arm around her shoulders at the right moment, and pulled her into a one side hug, saying something about 'everything will workout, don't worry Lily,' as they joined their step and went on about the Cannons and Holyhead match.

Someone was missing from the line of Mischief and Manner, now making his way to yet another class where they'd be scared by the formidable exams. Remus glanced down the line and then forward a little, noticing the missing head now bobbing well ahead of the group. "See you in class," he smiled to James and Lily as he broke from their stride, calling after Wormtail who now slowed from his hurry and scurry to a near even pace with Remus.

"You know McGonagall was kidding about the Knight Bus bit. If you can transform into a rat on a monthly basis, you can sure as hell make it through a NEWT transfiguration exam," the werewolf joked, elbowing his friend in the side with a smile. "I'm not going to say you'll get an O, but you're not going to get a T either. McGonagall's just trying to scare us into studying, you know the heads have a lotto on which house will get the most NEWTS. If Slughorn or Flitwick win again she's liable to take up drinking..."

"What happens next Moony?" Peter asked, his voice a little wheezier than normal, his blue eyes troubled.

"Well, you go to the library and this time, you and Sirius need to open a book. Might want to hide the fire whiskey from McGonagall after grades are posted..."

"Not studying," Peter said a little flustered, a shade of pink embarrassment rushing to his round cheeks. " What do _we_ do….now that _they_ have their girls?"

Remus tried to keep his eyes normal, but knew they had probably grown wide. Peter had always seemed happy and supportive of James pursuit of Lily, but since the train ride back to Hogwarts following Christmas, he had grown a little quieter, his place in conversation often taken, unintentionally of course, by Lily. He had always supposed it was just because Peter was awkward when it came to girls and didn't want to embarrass himself in front of Lily and James. But now, his fear of replacement made it all clear.

"I know Sirius won't change, he's had a girl every year since well….forever. And Vera's just Vera" the blond hair Marauder shrugged, pulling his hands deeper into his pockets, "But now that James is seeing Lily, and they spend nights doing their Head Stuff...and then the N.E.W.T's, well, are we going to be forgotten?"

Remus had once thought that same thing, years ago when James first started carving 'L.E' into his bedpost. He knew it was too good to be true, he finally had friends, and what more, friends that had put themselves in danger in order to help him with his monthly battle. Friends that cared and that saw him as an individual, a human rather than a werewolf. What more, they now had created a map to crush all boundaries. They were invincible...except for the weapon of Lily Evans that could take James with one turn of the eye. To take out James would be to take out the Marauders... but James had reassured Moony at the time, and it was that memory that made Remus smile now.

"No," he said definite. "No, we won't be forgotten. We're expanding the Marauders, that's all Wormtail. 'No matter what, you'll always have your brothers'," he said a smile sneaking its way to his thin face at using James' comforting words before adding his own. "You'll just gain some _sisters_ along the way."

"_Sisters?_" Peter asked, the fear that had captured his features now fleeing his face, "The kind like Gid and Fabian Prewett have? That send you fudge for Christmas and when they run off and elope?"

"I can't promise they'll all be Molly Prewetts," Remus said with an hearty laugh, pulling to the side with Peter to join the main group, "But they'll be right up there with her."

* * *

((*))

* * *

The light from the oil lamp on their table lit Lily's face as her quill raced along her roll of parchment. The smell of the old books was easily overruled by her own scent of wild magnolia's that rolled off her hair. James kept his eyes on her, trying to suppress the growing smile behind his lips, as he watched her chew her lip raw while staring at her blot splattered words, her eyebrows knit together with concentration as each letter danced down her arm and on to the essay.

"Why isn't your quill moving?" She asked, her eyes still fixed to the parchment that her hand scribbled across. "We've been in here for two hours and you've written maybe five inches of parchment? Do you need some ink for your quill?"

"I'm just thinking, that's all," he answered coyly, fixing his lopsided glasses. "Do you think Professor Poulsen would believe my suggestion of 'Marmalade' as a defensive tool in the essay?"

"Marmal…" her face left the focus of her paper, flashing the green eyes at him. "James, for the last time, my dad's not going to strangle you if…"

"_When _my dear..." he interceded, raising an all-knowing finger.

"Fine, my dad's not going to strangle you _when _you come to visit," she promised, a flicker of mischief reflected in her eye. " At least, not unless I ask him to ring your neck. In that case, bring your wand, you'll need it."

"And why would he do that?" He asked, dancing the dangerous dance of interrogation.

"Why?" She asked again, bringing the tip of her quill under her chin, fidgeting it back and forth and summoning a smile, "I might have written my fair share of letters about you and the other's over the years; don't be cross, but he didn't take your fifth year well..."

"What did I do fifth year?" James asked, his mind racing through achieves of the stupid—yet often brilliant—things done by the Marauders. _Was that the year we liberated the doxies in the dungeon, or the year we changed the water into rum at the professor's table? The year we stole the Slytherin laundry and mixed it in with the flubberworms? Or was it the year we slipped Ian Scriggen a love potion for Cassie Midgeon? Merlin's pants, that was the year of Snivilious, the Evan's friendly wizard neighbor . . . was that also the year she called me a toe rag? _

"It's going to take more than marmalade for your dad to like me," James sighed, scratching the back of his neck. "Regardless of your sister's upcoming marriage, I don't think any dad would be too keen on his daughter hooking up with someone she's called a 'toe rag.' I sure as well wouldn't be thrilled if my daughter came home and told me she was..."

"Why wouldn't you let your daughter go after a toe-rag?" she asked, a slight incline to her head. "Maybe she was wrong when she said it the first time? Perhaps the toe-rag got in the wash and came out a handkerchief?"

"Regardless, no one wants to see their daughter end up with a rag man," his voice grew soft, in part because of the sudden glare from Madam Prince. Leaning close he whispered. "They want to see her with a good guy. Not just good looking, but a decent one. Someone who would offer her the world if she asked for it, and even get it if she didn't."

"What if the girl doesn't want the world? What if she just wants him?" Lily asked in a tone that James couldn't understand if it was more for her ears than his own.

"Well," he started, rolling up his barely touched parchment. "Then he ought to do everything in his power to be there for her." As though automatically, in a manor he had grown accustomed to, James began filling her bag for her as she dried the last of her ink and wrapped her parchment up as well.

"It's gotten rather late hasn't it?" She inquired looking out the window and the landscape that surrounded Hogwarts, still covered by the occasional snowdrifts, the snow was transitioning into mushy spring sludge with each rainstorm. Although the outside hinted that perhaps it would get cold enough soon for another blizzard, the clouds on the horizon flashed with lightening, not flurries.

"Actually, it's not that bad," James said, joining her at the view. "Now days it's more dark then it is light, I figure it has something to do with him, but I wouldn't worry about it Lily." _At least, I wouldn't worry about it in front of you. _"Come on, Vera will want to interrogate you on our library excursion," he winked and Lily rolled her eyes in response.

"I don't know why she's acting like this, Sirius must be feeding her stories about us we don't know about," Lily shrugged remembering all to well the twenty questions she had been subjected to when they got back to school. While she hadn't been impressed with her response to James 'I really love you' she did go on about 'Perhaps I had been too hard on you after the Slug party, obviously you know what you're doing!'

"Personally, I think she's trying to live through you, everyone knows _I'm _the best Marauder," he smirked bumping her shoulder.

"What happened to all that deflated hot air I got for Christmas?" She asked, looking about his head. "Sirius didn't give you replacement ego for Christmas did he?"

"Oh, it's not hot air if it's true my dear Lily, everyone knows that," he said matter of factly.

"Don't let Sirius hear you," she flashed. "He has quiet the following of admirers as well. Not up there with the James Potter Appreciation Corps, but the SBAC..."

"They often share the same low standards as he," a voice emerged from the shadows near the wall. "You know, for a Pureblood family, I think the Blacks have a few rotten eggs every now and then."

"Isn't it a little late to be out and about Macnair?" James asked, slowing his step and shifting a step closer to Lily as though he was trying to serve as a guard between her and the Slytherin menace.

"I'd think you two would tell me if I was, _Head Boy,"_ the young man snickered. "'Course, you would know all about Purebloods that go rotten, wouldn't you Potter? You're living that lie aren't you?"

"A long time ago we traded in the _Pureblood _titlefor the _Blood Traitor_ one_,_" James emphasized, his voice becoming more firm as he continued. "We found it more to our liking."

"Either way it will land you and Evans in the same sticky end won't it?" Macnair asked, this time looking at Lily with his black eyes, dark like the magic that had consumed him. "All Blood traitors and Muggleborns will end up the same one day," he continued in his chilling blank voice. "Six feet under, or scattered in the wind."

"It's not to late you know," the Slytherin continued coolly, "They say you have a gift for transfiguration, and Evans is said to be gifted in all other areas…" he smirked sinisterly and Lily instantly recalled at his insinuation. "Why not join and live. You don't win in death Potter, There's no contest to the grave."

"I'd take the grave rather than be a cowardly, cold blooded murderer," Lily spat with darted eyes her hand clasping into James' and holding it tight. "Better live a short honest life than life hiding under dark bed sheets and a mask day in and day out."

"Lily…" James warned, in a hush whispered, "Now's not the time…"

"Oh come now Potter, Evans is a big girl, she can speak for herself," Macnair said, now walking towards them slowly, making a curve around where they stood. "Rest assured Evans that the day will come when you can join those that die young. After all, Fiendfyre follows red heads."

"_Stupefy!"_ James bellowed as the Death Eater to be somersaulted in the air, landing a good fifty feet behind them, spread eagle. James could see there was movement in his limbs, rather than the cold unconsciousness he had hoped for.

"Come on Lily, let's go," he muttered, taking a firmer grip on her hand and dragging her down the corridor and up a flight of couldn't remember the last time he had stunned somebody in front of her, but the blood pounding in his head justified his frenzy. _So they _had_ been after her, _he thought to himself as he continued pulling Lily with him to a destination he had yet to decide upon.

_Fiendfyre follows red heads,_ what greater sign was that? They had been after her. His Lily. They had made an expensive mistake, and he was sure it may have cost Macnair the Dark Mark, but he had threatened her. _I'll see him to Azkaban for this, _he swore with unnerving valor, _that's why I'll be an Auror, for her. I'll do anything for her…_

"James, stop, where are we going? James!" She tugged, finally wiggling her wrist loose of his grasp. "We're far enough away from him. Stop being a bloody protective lunatic; besides, I can take him down," she said with an even voice and a crooked smirk.

"While I have no doubt you'd take him down, _please_ try to understand that being an Auror is the bloody protective lunatic equivalent of a profession," he stressed as they began following the same passage ways and corridors up to the seventh floor.

"Well please understand that I'm more than willing to fight my own battles."

He shook his head and looked down at her, subduing a laugh, "Understand that I'm going to interfere 99% of the time."

"Understand that you need to learn the words '_Sod off'" _her eyes still fixed to his.

"Lily, can I ask you something?" He asked as they made their way up the last flight of stairs to Gryffindor Tower, "If we're going on about understanding and such?"

Her emerald eyes still aglow from their encounter with Macnair swept over him quickly as she gave a hesitant "I suppose."

He had been thinking of this conversation for a while, and he had every intention of having with her tonight. He just had suspected Macnair to corner and harass them on their way back from the library. _Perhaps it'll make her forget about that, _a little voice whispered in his head, _it can't hurt any can it?_ Won't put her in a bad mood and it was a reasonable relationship question.

" I know, especially after that little run in with Macnair, that now probably isn't the time, but I've been wondering" he staggered hesitantly, turning his head down towards her level. "What exactly are we?"

Lily stopped in her tracks, surprise written all over her face. "We're Gryffindors. Did Macnair hit your head when I wasn't looking?"

"No, I know our house, but what are _we?" _James pressed again, waving his hand back and forth between the two of them in a ridiculous pattern.

"Head Boy and Head Girl," Lily said quickly, stealing her way closer to the portrait hole, dodging his eyes as she wished to dodge the question.

"Lily," he sighed exhausted, wrapping his hand around her wrist for the second time that evening. "_What are we?_ The two of us, together._"_

"We?" She asked, this time her voice slightly bitter as though it had just dove into a vile of Slughorn's Vinegar, the flames of the neighboring torches glow dancing in her eyes. "Do you want me to tell you what _we_ are?"

She didn't wait for his response, he knew she wouldn't. But never in his wildest dreams would he have thought she'd react like _this _over a simple question. He knew she could take it _bad…_but he hadn't seen heat rise from her head like this since Sirius had dumped pudding on Snivvy in their fourth year.

"We're Lily and James," she started evenly enough her eyes cold rocks. "We're two people that are linked together by a measly three letter conjunction. We're two separate individuals that people feel like they can simply categorize by a single pronoun!"

"Lily, I wasn't asking for an English lesson over the two of us…" he objected, hoping that perhaps she'd catch a laugh and they could salvage the rest of their evening together in front of the fireplace.

"I know you weren't asking for a blood English lesson!" She spat. " Just let me go ok—We're seen as a united person rather than the two people we are. People used to see me as _just _Lily, this driven, goal oriented Head Girl who is now, for reasons unfathomable to them, fixated around you. And _you_! You're this person who likes to have a good laugh every now and then, even if it's sometimes at another person's expense," she dug, probing him with her inquisition eyes while her voice started to lose it's earlier hysteria.

"You like to ride your broom in the rain. You're probably just as good as McGonagall when it comes to transfiguration. You jump to conclusions; you have this indescribable hero complex where you feel the need. And although you have good intentions in doing it," her voice now soft, her hand hesitatingly reaching out and finding his, "I'm afraid that one day playing hero is going to get you killed."

James could feel the butterfly touch of Lily's fingertips divide barriers and link into his hand. "And if you get killed," she said, her voice still quiet but ever sure, "then there's no we. Then there's just me. And despite the fact that I've been adamantly against a _we_ for six years, I'm rather fond of these past few weeks of _we."_

_"_Are you just saying that so I bring your Dad some Marmalade?" He asked, turning from her side so he now stood between her and the portrait hole. "While I might, _might, _have a hero's complex. You, my dear Lily, have a seriously sneaky nature."

"He really likes Marmalade with cranberries, but don't give him those until he mentions it. He won't like it if you try too hard," she joked, a smile trying to cover the worry that was still in her eyes.

"Don't worry Lily, I don't have any plans of dying young and leaving you to be alone," he said, drawing her close to him and resting his chin on her head, taking in the moment as their heartbeat synced into one. "I didn't wait years and years just to leave you now" he vowed, more to himself than to her as he buried his lips in her hair.

"You don't know that though," she whispered into his sleeve. "First the accident in Stockport, Tintagael, and you're going to start at the Auror's Academy in July…"

"Are you the same girl who not even fifteen minutes ago told a Death Eater you didn't fear death?" he asked, looking her up and down for a sign she was about to collapse from exhaustion and fatigue.

"I was referring to myself… and I would…I just…" _Would rather you not die, _she continued in her head. She didn't want to say it out loud, she already had to deal with the fact she'd probably face another sleepless night with the same nightmare of bodies in the forest. There was no need to make the nightmare worse by admitting to James she feared _his _death over all other things.

"No one knows when they're going to go," James mustered, looking down at what seemed to be a genuinely upset Lily Evans. "We just have to hope that we'll make the best with whatever we're given. Right now, I know that I'm not just a me anymore, but a part of a _we_," he said with a grin, his hand leaving hers as it rose to her face his thumb running circles on her cheek, "and nothing can destroy that."

"Nothing," she echoed determinedly, her hands resting atop of his as his calming stroking fingers held her own.

"Come on Evans," he said, releasing her face and her hands, as he swung the portrait hole open. "Let's go harass some Marauders, a sickle says Remus is still up working on the essay," he jested, hoping that a conversation around the fire would ease the worry that still burned behind her eyes.

_Shouldn't promise her something she can't have James,_ a thought murmured in his self conscious as he helped Lily through the hole and then followed her stride to the sleep deprived Maunders. _After all, life and death don't always accommodate for we's._

* * *

AN: Alright, so I know we're all supposed to not be Peter Pettigrew fans, but I'm trying to get an Idea of how this guy's brain worked... that and I hate it when authors neglect Peter or make him evil from the start. Let us not forget what McGonagall said, he was just a lump of a boy that followed Sirius James and Remus like a Puppy...and as for Lily's English rant-which I hope is to you're liking. I don't want Lily to come off soft, but in lieu of her crazy life, i think we james she can be soft- anyway, that rant would be a product current writing class coming out for you. Alas, its research writing but who cares eh?

I hope this chapter works out to you're liking. Now that we have James and Lily from me's to we's I guess its safe to say we're going to see some darker things come. . .


	17. Where Loyalties Lie

Dried Lilies Chapter Seventeen

AN: Can I just say that you all are the sanity that's getting me through school? I don't know when I'll be able to get the next chapter up, but I just want you all to know that you're amazing. Thanks for all the reviews, support, etc., I really _really_ appreciate it. –KH

* * *

Where Loyalties Lie

* * *

Walden Macnair had a near bounce in his step as he disappeared into the depths of Hogwarts castle. A mischievous smirk sat on his face; still visible with every turn down the stairwell and every tapestry he emerged from. Though he had had no apparent success in persuading either James Potter or Lily Evans that night, he had found those links in the armor that would prove deadly should neither of them cooperate with he or the other messengers of the Dark Lord. The weakest point would be their final blow. And although it would be such a waste to lose someone as intoxicating as Lily Evans, the madness that would claim James Potter would be rather satisfying. Perhaps they could enjoy both of them first...perhaps their demise—of course, should they fail to recognize the Dark Lord— would be long, drawn out, and leave either both of them begging for an end...

The servant of death stopped in his step midway, hearing the echo of a foot land behind him. An all-knowing gleam matched the surface of the smirk. "We're on the same side Severus, I don't know why you feel like you need to follow me in the shadows."

"So _that's _how you planned to confront them?" Snape asked hotly, emerging from his hiding place, more color in his solemn cheeks than normal. "You simply tell them it's not to late to evade death and expect them to run into our arms?"

"I was merely seeing what fate they'd rather prefer. As I'm sure you over heard, neither of them are interested," Macnair said coolly as he leaned against a wall of the dungeons. "But, I believe with the right leverage, at least one of them will see the light to our reason," he continued, his light grey eyes cold and unforgiving. "They each have their own soft spots."

"Potter has many soft spots, most of them in his head," Snape spat with particular disgust at his nemesis name, even more so as Macnair connected that name to her name. "But Evans is different. She's made of steel, she knows no weakness."

"That's what she wants you to think," his comrade mustered, "They share this weakness, the two of them. They don't fear _their _own death. That means nothing to them. Gryffindors are odd ones, they fear not their own demise but rather something more," Macnair crossed the hallway closer to Severus, eyeing him as though he was a bug about to be stepped on, his eyes wide and face in near comical form.

"They fear the _other's _death. We want them; we get them from separate angles. To get Evans, we threaten to destroy Potter. His sanity, his body, we torture his inner being until he is nothing more than a mangled form of a human, either of those scenarios, she'll take the dive for him. She'd do anything to save him, even if it meant becoming a Death Eater…

And, if we'd rather have James, mind you the Dark Lord would prefer the set, but just in case we can only get one to cooperate, well, I think we could have a little bit of fun with the flower before she meets the fate of a weed…"

Macnair suddenly found himself on the floor, blasted by a purple jet that had flown from Severus' wand. The owner of the wand was soon at his side, his teeth gritted and his jaw clenched. "Did you send the Fiendfyre to Stockport?" He demanded, his black eyes glued to their prey, "You sent it to kill her?"

"Get her attention," the Death Eater said quickly, eyes focused on the wand still aimed at his lower abdomen. "If I had wanted to kill her, trust me, she wouldn't have made it back to Kings Cross."

A flash of warning yellow lit the tip of Snape's wand as the owner of the wand's voice escaped through gritted teeth, "Malfoy made it clear. The Dark Lord desires his army to be staffed by the brightest witches and wizards of our era. We need her alive…"

"She is alive! I just wanted to get her attention," Macnair interrupted, knitting his eyebrows. "Now lower your wand or give mine back."

Snape didn't appear as though he had heard his compatriot's request. A sick smile twisting on his solemn face. "Get her attention, you really think you're going to get Lily Evans under a Death Eater's cloak by killing forty-eight of her neighbors? Oh, that makes all the sense in the world."

"Obviously that was a mistake," Macnair backtracked, "Next time I'll think of a more direct route..."

The flash of purple hit Macnair again, throwing his body again in the air and across the hall. "There's not to be another _'next time'_" Snape hissed, his eyes alight with fury. _"I'll_ recruit Evans. I don't care how you conscript the imbecile Potter. Massacre him and Black for all I care, throw in the rest of their little gang as well, send fire after them and scatter their ashes between the continents, but remember Evans is _mine._"

"There's no need for all the violence," Macnair glared as he struggled to his feet, dabbing a cut on his one cheek while the other one began turning another shade of red. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you have feelings for the Mudblood."

"As you so eloquently put it, all of us have want her in one form or another. Anything more than desire is ridiculous," Snape said evenly, his eyes still focused on the man sprawled across the floor, "I know her better. I know how we can get her to join us without signing her own death warrant."

"Yeah, and I know that this is a bunch of bullocks," the fallen mumbled. "Give me a hand will you?"

Out of panic more than brotherhood, Severus Snape took the outreached hand and mumbled the counter curse for the gashed cheek. He even joined in the healthy chatter of James Potter's murder should the recruitment prove futile. He hoped his face was still it's sickly pale, his pulse the same dismal rhythm. Inside, his brain had been lit by a form of fiendfyre, he didn't know which was worse: the possibility that Macnair knew of his attachment for the fiery Gryffindor or the even greater possibility that Lily was in such a relationship with James Potter that she'd lay down her life for him.

_You knew that he'd try and get her, _a whisper of a voice assaulted his ears, _but you hadn't thought she'd ever accept him. You knew she'd never fear her own death, but even you didn't suppose she'd fear _his_ death…_

_And now your comrades are plotting her murder should she not submit to the will of the greatest wizard who'd ever lived…_

He could hear himself laughing at Macnair, he could feel his body continue with normality as the fires continued to assault his brain.

_You can either forever lose she who loved you best, even if she never knew she did, or you can lose the friends you never had and quiet possibly your life._

_Regardless of what side you're battling, you're always going to lose._

* * *

((*))

* * *

"So did you snog her?" Sirius asked, lifting his head from the pillow of his bunk when James entered the room, a smirk stuck to his face. "Go back to your Charms book, Padfoot and get that stupid look off your face" James soured back, waving his wand as a book came rushing towards Sirius, nearly missing his forehead before the lethargic Gryffindor moved.

"Methinks Prongs' hostility means _no_," Remus laughed watching Sirius take the book and stuff it in between his bed post and trunk casually before leaping off the mattress and setting it atop his trunk, closer to the slightly dejected Prongs, a smile of annoyance pulling on his face. "Can't go back to charms mate, you know I only study between the hours of four and six."

"Isn't that when you go to the Quidditch pitch?" Peter piped, looking up from his copy of _Newt Examination and Wizard's Techniques._

"But if Vera asks, that's when I'm '_studying'_" Sirius countered, waving his fingers with air quotes as he emphasized the final word. "I can't wait for this blasted exam to come and go. All I hear is how important this is, and how it's going to effect the future and everything…"

"But you still go to the Quidditch pitch?" Peter continued confused.

"Very good Wormtail," Sirius shot back, now turning his voice to James, the inquisitor still fixed on an interrogation over the lack of romantic communication. "Come on Jamsie, You finally have Miss Evans in your clutches. Merlin's pants, you've gone to the library nearly every night this week. What's better, she gets turned on by the smell of old books, you offer a hand massage, move to a back one…and then _bam!_ you snog her silly. You're James Potter, you helped write the Marauder's Map! You could've taken her to any secret passageway in the castle. But no, you study your parchment like a good little boy and I'm still losing every night in the snogging lotto! If I have to pay another knut to Moony I'm going to be a poor man come March."

"_Snogging lotto?" _James asked, ignoring the earlier scenario as he focused on which caused an angry boiling in his belly. "You mean, you three make _bets _every night on whether Lily and I…!"

"More like I make a payment in Moony's post-Hogwarts fund," Sirius sighed, slapping James on the back, "Not every night, just every now and then when I feel like it could be a good evening. I say yes, Moony says no, and Peter…"

"I used to bet with Sirius but Mum's cut off my pocket money," the rat said with a bucktooth smile, shrugging his shoulders. "Don't mean any harm at all Prongs, if anything I'm rooting for you."

"So am I," Moony said quickly, closing his copy of _Wolf Wanderings: Employment and Livelihoods of Magical Creatures. _"I just think you're going to take it slow. He's waited nearly five years, he's not going to rush into anything and lose Lily this early," Remus explained looking at Sirius and Peter.

"And _I _think that you've waited five years and ought to figure out if you two can make the fireworks go off with a kiss or two or three. Merlin's beard Prongs, you probably could've snogged her at Christmas and I'd be twenty galleons richer," Sirius grumbled again, his arms folded as he leaned against his bedpost.

"Even if I was going to snog her tonight," James began untying his shoes and leaning on to his own bedpost. "We ran into an unexpected guest on our way back to the Common Room."

"Snivillus?" Padfoot asked, his face a glow, eyeing the wand on his night stand.

"Nah, Macnair, bloody idiot; crept out of the corridor behind us and started saying how we needed to join him or get ready for an early death," Prongs spat, chucking his shoes into his trunk and ruffling the hair that lined the top of his shirt.

"Why the hell was he out after hours any way?" Sirius asked, noting Remus pulling out a bare piece of parchment that began to illuminate the moment his wand touched the surface.

"Well, he more or less said he was the one who sent the fiendfyre on Stockport…more or less started that he'd finish the job and kill her if she didn't agree with his terms," the danger in Macnair's eyes flashed in James mind again as the hungry eyes had traveled along Lily and his inclinations of her early grave.

"But Macnair wouldn't go after Lily," Remus said, holding up the Marauder's Map. "Look, There's Snape and Macnair walking around the dungeons. While I don't doubt Macnair would jump at the opportunity to kill you, I doubt Snape is going to let him kill Lily."

"We're talking about the right Snape here, right?" Peter asked, joining his friends crowded around the map, watching the two little dots travel. "Snape hates James, James loves Lily, and Lily's starting to like James doesn't that mean Snape hates Lily too?"

"You need to stop reading those books Wormy," Sirius laughed, ruffling his friend's hair.

"Although that logic makes just the faintest bit of sense," Remus sighed, "Lily used to stand up for him. Mind you, it was years ago, but sometimes friendships can be like wizard debts…."

"Like when I saved his life fifth year?"

"Exactly like that," Remus agreed. "I'm not saying Snape is indebted to Lily, but I will say that I'd be very surprised should Snape let his friend kill the girl who used to defend him. A bond was formed and to completely sever that bond by means of death, well, that's tinkering with Old Magic."

"All the same," James began looking down at the Map again, now eyeing the girls dormitories of Gryffindor Tower, Lily's dot now at rest near Vera's in what he was sure girly fits of laughter and assumptions being made by Vera. "I think it would be smart if we keep an eye on our junior Death Eaters. I don't want them coming after Lily again…"

"As long as we get Head Boy sanctions to hex Snape and his bugger of friends, I'm alright with Evan's watch," Sirius smirked. "Hex, Jinx and curse. Those are my only demands."

"Not going to find a better mercenary offer in Hogwarts," Remus nodded before he picked up his book and returned to reading, casting a guilty look at Peter who followed suit.

Passing the map to Sirius, James made his own little demand before agreeing to the terms, "Just makes sure the Head Girl doesn't find out."

* * *

((*))

* * *

Despite the appearances of spring that began showing themselves about the castle, winter depression, mixed in with the approaching N.E.W.T's kept the Seventh Years at bay. With less than a month till the April tenth examination, owls daily began dropping crates from Flourish and Blotts, many of them landing between Sirius and Peter every other morning at breakfast.

"I still don't know why you ordered all these books Remus," Sirius said one morning, wiping off some of the oatmeal that had landed on his shirt following a particularly large delivery. "You and I both know the key to a Sirius Success is Sirius not looking at the material till the night before."

"I like that method," Peter moaned, lifting _A Troll's Guide to facing the N.E.W.T's _from it's wrappings, his eyes almost wet at the size and weight of the book, along with the incredibly small print that filled its pages. "Don't you think I can take the 'Sirius Success Route?'"

"Not unless you have an Uncle who's written you in as the single beneficiary of his will," Sirius winked, reaching over Vera to get a waffle before smothering it in peanut butter and a dollop of syrup "In that case, you don't have to worry as much."

"I'm not supporting you when the gold's gone," Vera said quiet evenly, looking up from her Charms book to see the smile slide on to Lily's face and noting James' subdued snort. "So unless you plan on making a fortune at The Leaky Cauldron, I'd get studying if I were you."

Though Lily could see the smiles being pulled at all corners of the Marauder's mouths, she couldn't help but notice the dangerous warning flair of Sirius cheeks. She knew he was a proud man, and that the gilded childhood lifestyle he had lived had become slightly less gilded as of late, despite the kind near-adopting by the Potters, she had a sickening feeling that perhaps her friend had just ventured upon thin ice.

The last few weeks in particular seemed to have eaten up Vera's normally bubbly personality. Knowing quiet well that her N.E.W.T marks would either push or plunder her St. Mungo's application, she had become compeltely one with the library and buried herself in stacks of books and practice essays. The normal curl to her blond hair had begun to droop, her humor had been replaced with near desperation and her evening snogging parties with Sirius behind the mirror on the fifth floor corridor had become rather nonexistent.

"Perhaps I've always wanted to be a bartender Vera," he said trying to fight the red back with a spot of humor, perhaps in the vain hope it'd call humor back to the studious' one's morning routine. "Fire Whiskey in one hand, an Ogre Martini in the other-"

"'And a girl on each side, twisting your hair and asking for a ride on you're motorbike'" Vera sighed rolling her eyes, as she slammed closed her book. " Meanwhile I'm in the back room having a shot of honey mead and fixing you a pick me up for when you've lost balance. I know the fantasy. But for once Sirius, think of something more than you're playboy dreams and start thinking practically."

"_Playboy dreams?_" Sirius shot back, the red completely engulfing any shreds of humor left behind. Though Lily couldn't quiet make out the words Sirius was shooting out between the riddling of dishes and scooting chairs of Vera leaving the table and Sirius following her, she was sure by the look each of the Marauders shared, that N.E.W.T's had just introduced another gust of wind to a precariously balancing house of cards.

"Moony, I don't think I want to take the Sirius Success Route anymore," Peter finally piped, looking at the two empty seats next to each other. "I don't have a girl, but I'm not willing to let that happen anytime..."

"By the way things just panned out, I think Sirius might be looking for someone to fix his pick-me-ups," Remus frowned, cranking his head to see if the two were dueling in the Great Hall or if they'd have the courtesy to wait until they were in the Common Room.

"Do you think we ought to go after them and try getting them to talk it out?" Lily asked James who still had his eyes nailed to the doorway out of the Great Hall.

"If they need any help, they know where to find it," James muttered, looking at Remus with slight concern, "But I think it's best we keep our peace and not interrupt their lack of. You know, be the quiet, unbiased third party."

"Only one problem with that plan Sherlock," Lily started, cutting into her omelet, her eyes still occasionally returning to the empty seats across from them, "I'm her best friend, he's your best friend. Either way..."

"Either way we get to listen to them both..."he groaned, as he scooped more fruit on his plate. "Pity we're fond of them, I say it's time to look for new best friends."

"Well Vera, for once, seems to be thinking long range and personally I think that she's…"

James lifted a finger as he swallowed his fruit and other mismatched breakfast items, "Unless we want to give Moony and Wormtail an encore presentation, let's not talk about the two of them, savvy?"

"You think we'd give them a run for their money?" Lily asked arching an eyebrow as James pushed his empty plate a side.

"Just for future reference, I don't take my battles outside, I fight my wars with an audience. If I know you, I'd prefer witnesses if you murder me," he shrugged, kissing her forehead softly as though he was trying to purge her of the headache he knew was going to come with Vera and Sirius battling it out. Although he'd rather not believe it, Hogwarts was soon coming to an end, in a week's time, they'd be home again for Easter Holidays. Hoping nerves and anger would fail to be contagious between the Gryffindor girls; he could only fight back the shudder at the thought of a sour Sirius for three and a half months.

"I'd rather we not fight any wars," Lily sighed, reveling in the touch of his lips on her skin, a flood of warmth rushing from where they had touched, followed by a chilling cold that longed for them to return again and again, knowing that all it would take was a flash of her eyes for the fervent lips to return.

"Have you heard from the potion's people yet Lily?" Peter interrupted as he shoved his book in his crammed bag. "Slughorn's people?"

"Not yet," she replied, surprised at how annoyed she was with Peter's intrusion of what could have been a very sweet embrace. "I sent in my papers to them last week after I sent in a stack to St. Mungo's Research Institute."

"I'd still go to SMRI," Remus acknowledged, rejoining the conversation despite the occasional flick of the eyes to the door. "Sure it's not as world renkowned as the International Potion Corps, but they're the ones who really come up with potions that work…"

The rest of the conversation Remus' discourse was interrupted by the returned thundering of Sirius Black, storming in between the house tables and picking up the bag he had left behind, leaving again without a word.

"I think you ought to follow him now," Lily said, weaving her hand around his and giving it a slight squeeze. "You go ahead and I'll go after Vera once you've cleared the Hall.''

"You know, it's one thing knowing we have to face a Dark Lord that'd like us all murdered in our beds, why do we have to go be the in between people in situations like this too?"

She could feel her shoulders slope down. "Because there are something's, like our best friends happiness, that are worth fighting for."

He returned her squeeze and looked at the two remaining Marauders, "Keep eye on the map," he said nonchalantly before he followed Sirius out of the hall and down the corridor, knowing that _his _happiness, their happiness, was worth fighting for too.

* * *

An: First off, please excuse this long Author's Note and understand its for my sanity more than anything else….

Confession—Forgive me Jo Rowling for I have sinned…I have this dirty little pleasure. It's an extension of the 8th deadly sin (being fanfiction)… I love writing Snape Scenes. If I had the skill, time and dedication, I would write a James and Lily Love story told through the eyes of Severus Snape. (Anyone else think that would be beautifully tragic? ) But, seeing how I have neither of the above, I will stick with Dried Lilies.

Poor Snape.

I think we should ditch 'Orphan Annie' and give Snape a dog, a wig of curls and a wicked Mrs. Hannigan with Dumbledore as Daddy Warbucks. But alas, even in this scenario, Snape/Annie lose. Instead of Sandy the Dog, he'd get Padfoot the Maunder (who would make his life a living hell), his wig's greasy and flat. All of these lead him to killing Daddy Warbucks. Forever tortured by Bellatrix Le Hannigan. No happy ending, No musical numbers about the Sunlight comin' out. Lily ain't gonna love you tomorrow. You, Severus Snape, really have a hard 'nuff life.

Can you see that School's making me lose whatever sanity I had left?

So what more, regular Hogwarts Angst. Angst. Angst. you haven't noticed, Remus is always the go to guy for ideas. Sorta feel like I bullied Sirius a bit this chapter, but like Sev, he ends up having a hard 'nuff life too. I don't care what book 3 says about "knowing I was innocent" kept him sane in Azkaban. I don't know how he did it, but I figure there was some Rum in that cell. I don't advocate alcohol, but you'd need something stronger than koolaide after you've been convicted in assiting in the murder of your best friend and his wife and being jailed rather than watch over their only child and godson;

Rambling aside, I hope you liked this chapter. Please let me know what you thought about it! It'll make my day! Remember, Wizards have drama too. As always, questions, comments and reviews are welcomed. Every time you review, Sirius gets another drink in the big house.

I don't know when my next update will be, school has picked up and I have a deathly hallow-sized book to read a few dozen rolls of parchment to write. I will update again soon but ask for your patience...maybe ask Sirius if he'll share the rum…

Until next time, ~KH


	18. Marmalade

AN: Gah! I'm updating! And on a monday no less! Usually I save this note for the end of the chapter, but in lieu of my absence, work with me. I'm almost done with my semester and have a few weeks of break ahead of me (hallalujah!) I'm in the midst of cruch time but found time to polish this up. First off though—Deathly Hallows—What did you guys think? The only beef I have with David Yates is I wanted to see Voldy's pov of killing Lily and James. Other then that—I was in love.

Thanks to SarCoops for continuing to make my life (and thus your life) easier. Sorry this is long lovies, but better late than never. ~KH.

* * *

Marmalade

* * *

The once thick layers of ice that had barred the giant squid from the surface of the lake were now nonexistent. First years marveled as the squid made its triumphant return to the surface, extending its long arms towards the sky, tentacles puckering. Seventh years witnessed the same thing with their marvel absent, their sense of wonder all but dead save for a thin smile returning to their drawn faces. They, as well as every other classmate, knew what the squid's return meant: Easter holiday.

For some, after weeks of growing discontent, and an avalanche of romantic disunions in the aftermath of Sirius and Vera's Great Hall show down, this holiday couldn't come soon enough. The Great Hall echoed with the sounds of trunks being dragged in and out of the halls as a bubbly roll of chatter echoed from the long outstretched tables. Although few traditionally made the journey home in the Spring, this year an influx of attacks had caused more than one mother to write their child begging them to come home, guilting them with the '_who knows what will happen' _line. It was a mystery what this Easter holiday would hold along the lines of tradition. Traditional Easter Egg hunts along Diagon Alley had been canceled in fear of attacks, the annual White Rabbit Chase in Cornwall had also under question, as was the Babbity Rabbity Faire in the North.

It appeared as though the Death Eaters had found a way to conquer everything, save the one thing. From the scratches of four trunks across the hall earlier that morning, it was apparent that the Marauder's annual camp out was still, without a doubt, hours from commencing.

"I don't know how you got away with it Pete," James laughed, nudging his friend's shoulder with one hand and embracing his breakfast bowl with the other. "Lord Moldy's put everyone on high alert and your mum's _still_ is letting you come camping with a bunch of…what does she call us again Sirius?"

"A hoodlum gang of miscreants?" Sirius answered with a shadow of a smile, his gaze turned to the entrance of the hall where Lily was helping Vera with her collection of bags. James couldn't help but notice the sullen look that hid behind his friend's eyes, but watched as it faded away as the voice of his friends called the love out of his eyes and brought Sirius back.

"You know, you could actually try studying in hopes of resurrecting your relationship with Miss. McKinnon, couldn't he Prongs?" Remus started, looking up from his copy of the Prophet towards the new Vera who was always stressed about something; today her periwinkle trunk set.

"Although Lily and I refuse to discuss the situation with each other," James started with a serious Head Boy tone before grinning at his friend, "I think you two could…'

"Listen, we've already talked about it you two matchmakers," Sirius sniped, turning his back on the Gryffindor girl with drooping curls, his mouth drooping in a similar fashion to the lady herself. "We decided that we both needed time to be serious…"

'But you already are serious Sirius-" Peter piped impishly.

"Like I've never heard that before," he rolled his eyes as he smacked Peter over the head. "It's just 'till N.E. are over. Then we'll be serious about Sirius."

"You could find a new lady friend," Peter started, looking up and down the table with some delight, as though he hoped to sweep Vera McKinnon off her feet and out of Sirius arms and into his own. "How about Maria Redwood?" he asked as he and his friends glanced down the table in the Great Hall towards a girl with zucchini earrings dangling amidst her veil of blonde curly hair.

"Too ugly," Sirius lamented, looking at the Ravenclaw table dismissively. "Although I'm guilty of being irresistibly handsome, I can't look good enough for both of us..."

"There's always Rebecca Hume," Remus agreed looking at the girl further down the Gryffindor table, anxiously gabbing with her friends. James fought back a smile as he watched Sirius' face twist in a mix of horror and dread." Oh come on, she's not that bad… humble—you could learn from her!" Remus shot back, a slight flair of red flushing his cheeks, matching Rebecca's fiery hair. "

"If you like her so much Remus, by all means, you pursue her but she's not my type. She's just a little too frumpy…but in a good bookish sort of way..."

"What about Eliza Chesterfield?" Peter put in, looking at the cherub face Hufflepuff with golden curls. "She's in remedial potions, not frumpy at all."

Sirius' face cracked with a thin smile. "I dated her elder sister, I know the Chesterfield girls _too _well…didn't end well."

"I've got it! Nesa Pat-"

"I am perfectly capable of finding my own woman," Sirius snapped, sitting at attention to stress his disdain as he looked at the three guilty Marauders. "Praise Merlin I don't have to go to you three to find one or I'd be stuck with some moldy hag in vegetable earrings."

"If you're looking for a friend, I can probably get Lena Palmer to stop sending me hate mail for taking James," Lily laughed as she ruffled Sirius hair and sat between them. The horror that had been present on Sirius' face when they had talked about Rebecca Hume was nothing compared to his eyes darting in panic looking behind him for where he was sure Vera would be.

"Don't worry Black, Vera left something in the tower, she heard nothing from the matchmakers," Lily laughed. Then looking at the other Marauders she arched an eyebrow, continuing in a half-warning tone. "Is there a reason we're trying to set Sirius up with someone other than Vera?"

"Just trying to get him a good mood for our camping trip, that's all," James quirked, clasping his arm around Sirius shoulder. "Nothings worse then a down dog isn't that right Remus?"

"I wouldn't worry Lily," Remus answered returning to his newspaper. "Sirius isn't going to jump the first girl with golden curls and matching luggage..."

"Well that's comforting," Lily answered as she lifted some bacon from James plate and grabbed his copy of the Prophet, her emerald eyes scanning the page before her traditional search of the Missing and Death announcements.

"You know, I understand that the House Elves here are pretty good at doing dishes, they probably wouldn't mind if you dirtied up a plate of you're own," James started with a smile, watching as Lily's slender fingers dart for his half eaten toast covered in a thin layer of marmalade.

"Oh I know the elves are quiet good, but you see Head Boy, we only have a few minutes before we lead the students to the train and you and I both know it'll take me just as long to fix my own plate," she insisted claiming the toast as her own.

"But I'm going camping with this lot, do you have any idea how poor a cook Sirius is? His campfire means resemble burnt offerings…"

"Thanks Prongs," Sirius jabbed, lifting another bit of bacon of his mate's plate. "Best fix a plate Prongsie, you have to lead the kiddos soon and I don't want you to starve for the next few days..."

James sat for a minute enjoying the sound of Sirius and Lily's laugh, mingling together. He had never thought he'd see the day when his best friend and the formally stiff Ms. Evans would be laughing _together, _at his expense. And not just any mocking, it was playful laughing, she wasn't comparing him to the Giant squid, now stretching is arms to the sky, but it was genuine, friendly laughing. And what more, he couldn't believe it was real. That this was real. That he and Lily…_they…_ were real.

But something about the way she was laughing was different…Lily was holding back, she wasn't completely in the laugh. . . it was almost like her Slughorn Laugh. . .

"Come on Head Girl, I believe the first years are going to get lost," he said, rising from the breakfast bench and picking taking her hand in his.

"But James, I just started your porridge-"

"Be grateful, I think a House Elf spat in mine," Peter mumbled looking down at his bowl.

"How about I buy you a drooble on the train and call that breakfast?"

She knit her eyebrows together for a minute, again playfully as though she was seriously considering that as an option. "Do you think that's the best offer I can get Remus?" Lily asked casting a smile at Moony.

"If you hold out a little longer you could probably get a drooble and a chocolate frog..."

James rolled his eyes and held tightly to her hand, "Deal, come on, before Mc G has a nosebleed with all the first years..."

"Since when did you become the responsible one?" Lily asked, rolling the Prophet in her hand as they walked out of the hall and towards the carriages.

"I dunno, since when did you go out of your way to laugh with Sirius?"

He watched as Lily's shoulders shrank back, like a little kid who had just been caught taking a cookie before super. "Was it that obvious?"

_Bingo. Slughorn laugh. "_Just a bit, but I doubt he noticed."

"She's worried about him," Lily said simply, answering before he had the chance to interrogate her. Her answer so quickly given through him off.

"She?"

"Vera, she's worried about him," Lily answered blatantly. "While she is persistent that she needs to have the next few weeks of solitude for sake of her NEWTS, she misses him and is worried Sirius is at risk of becoming _serious. _I'll be honest, I think a dose of his namesake would do him some good, Vera disagree and as she is my best friend and I have to deal with her sleepless nights I told her I'd try to laugh with him so he wouldn't be at risk, she swears it'll be the end of him…. Honestly, the thought of Sirius being serious makes her cringe."

_Girls think too much,_ James thought to himself before his own mind wandered to whether or not his name had ever come up in the midnight chats of two Gryffindor girls.

A rush of third years and first years appeared swept through the doors towards the open carriages waiting to take them to the station. "You know you're amazing Lily Evans?" James asked over the rolling roar of the crowd.

He could see a flush of pink dance on her cheeks as she began helping an acne faced Hufflepuff and knew that she had heard.

* * *

((*))

* * *

There was a small feeling of pain that took Lily's heart as she looked around the surroundings of her compartment. _Only one more train ride,_ she thought,_ its almost over__._ It was that thought that brought everything to life. Had the compartment always been that small? She could have sworn that they had comfortably fit six people in this compartment six years ago. Now, out of habit, she and James had left to make their round before they reached Kings Cross, leaving enough room for Sirius, Remus, and Peter. Vera had gotten permission from McGonagall to apparate from the village to Orion and Marlene's home in the Lake District. And even in her absence, the three boys were still complaining of the lack of room.

Had the walls always been that shade of yellow? The curtains, had it always been that pattern? Had these things changed as much as those that rode them?

_Stop it Lily, _she thought to herself, watch as the last of the students disappeared with their parents through the brick pillar. _You are not a sentimental sap. You're Lily Evans. Not some emotional, nostalgic, sappy eyed..._

"Well, that was the last of them," James said brushing his hands of the dirt as he walked towards her, the sunlight dancing in his askew black curls.

Had the train ride always been so short? Was her time at Hogwarts really coming to a close?

"Knut for your thoughts," James said as he approached her, giving her a puzzled look.

"Save your Knut, theirs nothing's there," she replied she levitated her own trunk off the platform, leaving it now floating at her side.

"Liar" James accused with a crooked smile. "Your sister's marrying the Muggle walrus, you have to be a maid or something like that and you say you're thinking nothing?"

She felt her a weight crash down on her. She had nearly forgotten in her nostalgia the wedding. The putrid pink bridesmaid gown that clashed with her red flaming mane. The lace gloves, the polite laughter and painfully idle chit chat. The only highlight she was expecting was pulling faces at her father throughout the day and perhaps sneaking a shot of honey mead if she was forced to sit next to Edna Dursley _again..._

"You just had to bring that up didn't you?" She moaned. "For that, I don't feel bad you're spending holiday eating Sirius burnt offerings."

"You have no idea how much that pains both my heart and my stomach," James answered, "That breakfast you ate was supposed to be my last descent meal till Monday."

"You really missed out, it was quite good," she snickered, turning to hear the chiming of the clock, it was nearly three which meant she was due in Stockport for wedding activities in less than an hour.

"Stay safe out there James," she ordered, with her definitive Head Girl glare. "If you so much as think of investigating potential Death Eaters as a stag, so help me I'll do more than eat your breakfast."

Lifting his own trunk, James raised his eyebrow, "Dearest Lily, if I do get caught investigating Death Eaters, I think you'll be eating my funeral buffet, not my breakfast." Bending down, he kissed to top of her head before muttering "Be on your toes too. If I see you're name in the Prophet about blowing up that oaf of a brother-in-law, Sirius and I would have to break you out of Azkaban."

"See you in a week Potter," she laughed, amused at the thought of James Potter and Sirius Black infiltrating Azkaban as Remus and Peter, well mostly Remus, worked out the logistics from a disclosed location kilometers away. _Think of that Lily, don't think of the danger. Don't start worrying yourself thinking this is the last time you'll see James. Don't worry. You never worry. You're Lily. . . _

"Don't you want me to apparate you home?" He asked, a dash of concern in his face as he watched her walk away.

"Unless you have Marmalade, I suggest you stay away from Stockport. Dad already has enough Dursleys down his neck, add in a Potter and…" she dangled off, playfully shrugging her shoulders before a slight _pop_ let her disappear, the steam of the train lingering where she had just stood.

"I'd take that risk for you," James answered to the midst as he too disappeared in a _pop_.

* * *

((*))

* * *

"Regardless of what Prongs says Padfoot, I think you're burnt offerings are perfect," Peter piped as he rolled into his sleeping bag, "I haven't been that full since mum's Christmas feast."

"That's just because you think Moony cooks everything rare," James started, feeling a rumble sounding off from his empty stomach. _Blasted Lily, I should knick her bacon next time..._

"Oh bug off," Sirius started, churning the flames with a stick that sent the embers aglow against his face before he joined his friends in the sleeping bags around the fire. "If we had it my way, we'd have swiped ol' Kreacher from the house, had him make us food and then leave the creature in the woods when we were done. But _no, _we made that stupid agreement our third year to always camp without magic…"

"Would Kreacher be able to come?" Peter asked, delighted "Does he make good sandwiches, my mum's elf Lucie—she can—"

"Kreacher is bound to serve all in _the Noble house of Black,"_ he slummed, the last few words more spat out than spoken. "He'd have no choice—"

'But didn't your mum disown you?" Peter again persisted looking up from his sleeping bag across the open fire, "Would he still serve you?"

James could remember when Sirius had learned of his removal from the family tree. It had been at the end of their sixth year, shortly after he had run away and moved in with the Potters. His Uncle had debated over telling him, he didn't see any good coming from it but figured it was better to tell him then to let Regulus blurt it out at school with him not knowing.

Sirius doesn't cry, James had thought when his friend had passed off the news to him. True enough, he didn't. James couldn't imagine a relationship—other than Lily and his own which at that point was non-existent—that was as strained as Sirius and his parents. Sirius had joked that instead of baby powder he had dragon scales to toughen up his skin.

But dragon scales aside, James could recognize the same empty look in his friends eyes now as they had been when he had told him he was no longer a _Black_. It wasn't a look of grief, nor was it specifically a look of sorrow. Rather it was the look of a man without a country, a prince with no kingdom.

"Well, dear old Bella gets to deal with him now," Sirius started, dodging the question. "Heard her mum wants grandchildren—it'll take more than a wig but I think Bella would dress up Kreacher before she makes anything more than googly eyes at Rudolphus."

The crackles of the fire soon sang a lullaby that left all asleep till the light of morning tickled James' eye lids. It was Easter Saturday. Nearly four days after the camp out had started. Stretching up, he looked around the camp fire to see Remus curled in his bag while a spider was crawling on Peter's head. A splash of water turned his head from Sirius empty bag to the distant river where a tall, black hair figure stood skipping rocks.

"You're up early," James greeted, picking up a rock as though he meant to join his friend. "Sleep alright?"

"Hmm—oh, alright. Too short but what else is new," Sirius answered groggily.

"Read the Prophet lately?" Sirius asked after a few minutes more. A definite _plunk_ of the rock countering the usual skip.

"We're camping in the Forest of Dean, why in the world would I have read the Prophet, let alone have one?" Prongs laughed, throwing a rock out along the banks.

"Prongsie, the biggest dark wizard since Grindelwald is out murdering people and you expect a far of location to separate Moony from news of it?" he watched his friend laugh, "Maybe your right—my burnt offerings are messing with your sense of reality."

James couldn't help but smirk, "Alright, so what news then? And when did you start reading the Prophet?"

"When I realized I wouldn't be seeing Vera every day," Sirius answered blankly, one of his rocks finally being able to make the skip over. "I didn't want to show up at the train station and her not be there."

'Are you the same person who told me not to track Lily down _after_ there had been an attack in her township because I was just going to see her in the morning? And how my irrationality was nothing…"

"Alright, so you were right and I was wrong," he grumbled, "I just didn't want to find out she had died from the rumor mill…."

It had happened, James decided. The fear of two Gryffindor girls was coming true—Sirius was becoming…

"Any news from the Lake District?" he countered, not willing to tease his friend with a jagged rock in hand.

"No news, so I'm taking all is well. There was an attack yesterday in Yorkshire, but no names I recognized…"

"And Yorkshire is right in between Lily and Vera," James started. Today was Saturday. Today was the wedding. Today she'd be in rare form, she'd be pretending to be polite while secretly waiting for the first chance she'd get to hex her sister….

"What would you say if I broke camp and ran to Stockport? Just see an old friend, make sure everything was still alright," James asked, raising an eye.

"I'd think you're insane for wanting to mess with Lily Evans, but seeing how you're becoming famished at my cooking, it wouldn't kill you to get a good last meal before Lily maims you for crashing her sister's wedding." Sirius smirked. "Give her some flowers though. Girls always like that when you give them flowers…Vera likes flowers…"

Feeling the last statement was more for him than James, Prongs whisked out his wand and rolled up his bag. "Tell Moony and Wormy I'll see them on the train."

It wasn't that James liked the thought of being maimed, but one thing was for certain, he liked the thought of Lily Evans. He'd show up with a jar of marmalade maybe, perhaps swing by and get her some flowers. He wouldn't be giving a gift to the bride, but giving wedding pictures taken without hex marks lovingly given by the bridesmaid was a gift that would keep on giving in years to come.

* * *

((*))

* * *

"Almost done Lilybeth," Mr. Evans whispered to his daughter as the off key singer led the band in another dance number, "After today's festivities, if you want to elope you have my blessing."

"That's if I ever want to marry," Lily joked back, watching her sister waltzing with her walrus in a tuxedo. The day had been long and tedious, with a wedding breakfast, photographs, waiting on Petunia, putting up with Margie and Norma (her fellow bridesmaids) and then the service itself, if she didn't know better Lily would have said Vicar Carraway was just as confused about the match as Lily's parents were.

_Whatever Tuney see's in Vernon, I'll never know, s_he thought continuing to their off tempo, off foot waltz. If anything, they where mismatched. The Stick with the boulder. . . but physical attributes aside, there was something. They complemented each other in ways she hadn't supposed Petunia could be complemented by. He appreciated her love of normality. Her ability to know everyone's business…

"Lily Bells, is that the boy who popped in our foyer over New Years?" Mr. Evans asked, watching his youngest daughter's face closely; worried that mentioning this boy so quickly after mentioning elopement would giver the logical Evans girl rash ideas.

She looked over in the distance to see the Potter, just as mismatched as everyone else in his Muggle formalwear, gel attempting to tame his hair while a crooked smile gave her more happiness than she had felt at anytime during the holiday.

"Yes Daddy, that's him, James," Lily said as a smile pulled at her cheeks.

"Well, what's he doing here? And what's he carrying in his arms, is he giving Petunia _jam_ as a wedding present?"

"Marmalade," Lily answered as he made his way towards them, her heart beating out of gratitude for her own sense of normality. "He brought Marmalade."

* * *

AN: So I had a lot of time on a train for thanksgiving and with out the internet to help me work on my term paper, you guys got a chapter out of me. Sorry It's such a filler, but until semester ends, be grateful! I'm posting this for a few reasons:

It's My Birthday

Evidence that a class hasn't killed me.

Prayer that my class will not kill me

I really like you guys and want you to get an update notification in your mail box and

I think my train just ran over some woodland animal but its dark outside so I can't tell. Hope it wasn't a Maunder!

Hope you all are doing well! Remember to leave a review and I'll remember you!

Kait Hobbit


	19. Pilgrim

D: JKR didn't give me HP for Christmas. But SarCoops Beated for me! :)

AN: To all the who's down in whoville—Happy belated Christmas! For your Boxing Day delight, an update!

* * *

Pilgrim

* * *

"Can you please explain to me _why_ your father didn't kill James Potter on the spot for crashing your sister's wedding?" Vera giggled, a shade of pink filling her cheeks, a bubbly glow in her light brown eyes. Ignoring the howl of the wind, the two had curled up in their dormitory and were busy recapping each other's holiday. Vera's Easter with her nieces quickly became old news the moment Lily mentioned James' visit to Stockport. It didn't take long into her tale for Lily to see the old fairy godmother Vera come back to life, with James staring as a Prince Charming with his glass jar of marmalade.

"I think Dad felt confused. He couldn't understand why James had brought jelly to a wedding party," Lily laughed, tucking a strand of hair that had strayed from her long braid behind her ear. She couldn't decide whose reaction was the more memorable; her father's perplexed, maroon face, burning at the boy whose hand was outstretched with an offer of marmalade as though he was purchasing the younger daughter's hand… or James, who despite his best efforts couldn't understand why his gesture of jelly was not well received. She would always feel sinister delight, and knew that the story would someday become a classic. Perhaps one day, eventually, she'd share the story with her daughter…The time the joke had been _on_ the infamous prankster.

"But you told James your father liked marmalade," Vera queried, arching a perfect eyebrow. "Why would he have been confused?"

"Because daddy doesn't like marmalade. Well he does, but not at as much as I had James believing. I was just toying with the idea really, you know see if he was paying attention . . . which makes the fact James went to such expense to get _cranberry _marmalade all the more hilarious," Lily laughed, hugging her knees against her chest as she leaned into her pillows. She was grateful it was dark or perhaps Vera would see just how wide her smile was, just how happy she was. But in the cover of darkness, she had found her content. "There he is, standing in his Muggle best, his hair gelled in every which way extending a bottle of cranberry marmalade to daddy who is struggling over the gesture and the fact he had encouraged me to elope moments before. Trust me, the next morning, breakfast was all about why it was good for me to take my time and have a _very _long courtship that would only end after I had been married in St. Mary's by the vicar who baptized me..."

"Lily, enough with this jumping around business, you're worse than Sirius Black going off about a broomstick. Just tell me," the exasperated friend started, snuggling in her bed wrapped in blankets with large eyes, "From the very beginning, what happened?"

* * *

((*))

* * *

"Dad, you remember James Potter don't you?" She asked once James reached her side. How natural it felt, how perfect it was for him to be standing right there. _And to think for years you petitioned McGonagall to set a restraining order..._a little voice muttered in your head. _He cleans up nicely—if you weren't in this pink trash bag, perhaps people would be eyeing the two of you…not that _that _matters…_

"Ah yes—the new years bloke," Mr. Evans grumbled, looking at James as though he wished this was a door step scene and Mr. Evans could give a brisk goodnight and slam the door between this boy and his daughter.

"Pleasure," James started, oblivious to any rudeness on Mr. Evans' part as he extended first the hand holding the Marmalade, and after realizing his mistake, his free one to shake Richard Evans hand. "I brought you some marmalade sir, my mum's personal recipe—with a hint of cranberry," he continued, looking between the perplexed man and his snickering daughter.

"I did not know 'Tunia had added Marmalade to her wedding registry," Mr. Evans glared, taking the jar and looking it as though he was waiting for it to explode on the spot. "Nor did I know Tunia added _you_ to the list either Mr. Potter."

"It's a wizarding tradition dad," she had interrupted, knowing Mr. Evan's temp quiet well, having inherited and used it against James many times herself. "You see, Cranberry's are the-the,"

"The House Fruit of Gryffindor," James chimed in with a gleam in his eyes as though he was sensing Lily's deception. "Not as impressive as the Slytherin boysenberry, but still more commanding then the Hufflepuff plum."

"Exactly-the house fruit-anyhow," she continued, "Tradition says that when a bride gets married, it's tradition for the father of the bride to be presented with cranberry marmalade by a young man or woman that is a friend of the bride's sibling. Isn't that right James?"

She had lied with such ease, she was slightly afraid he'd hesitate and all would be lost. It only took the twitch of James' ready lips for her to realize that this wouldn't be the case at all. He knew the game. He'd played it well for the past seven years, possibly more. "The young man doesn't need to know the Bride per say," he began, his eye darting to the tart faced bride sharing embrace with the walrus, " The gesture is one of support and adoration for the father and mother of the bride who have obviously raised a strong willed, confident woman. My mum personally says the marmalade's good for weeks to come as it helps push down the after taste of some of the leftovers but that's just mum..."

"So this fruit house is a wizard's wish of good luck to the bride and her family eh?" Mr. Evans asked looking at the obscure jar doubtfully before sighing, "I guess it beats that jello mold Emmy down the street made. I'm going to find your mother-it was, er, nice seeing you again Jeffery,"

"_James, _Daddy_-" _Lily started, looking at her father and then James.

James gave a nod and winked at Lily, "And you as well, Mr. Evans"

"Feel free to stay and enjoy the party," Mr. Evans invited rather begrudged, as though he'd much rather strike up a confession with the Vicar, "But you two don't get any wild ideas..."

"Right dad," she answered, the brilliant scarlet of her cheeks clashing magnificently with her pink bridesmaids gown. Watching her dad disappear into the crowd, she could feel a warm hand find her own as he chuckled, "You know Evans, if I didn't know any better I'd think you set me up with that marmalade bit."

"Shouldn't you be out camping with your men?" Lily asked, arching her eyebrow. " What are they going to do when they learn their chief cave man forsook the cave and dressed up in this monkey suit?" She asked, freeing her long fingers so they could walk up his lapel before straightening his bow tie. "You look pretty nice for spending a week on burnt offerings."

"Amazing what a few clean up charms can do to a person eh?" He smiled, lifting his own hand up to capture her lingering fingers near his tie. The warmth of his hands nearly rivaled that of her triumphant glow she had felt during the Marmalade expose. This was better warmth, it was one where she felt safe, and where she could feel a smile pulling in the corners of her mouth. _Stop smiling you bloody idiot, _a small voice whispered in your head. _This isn't you—you don't blush, and not with James; just because this is the first you've seen him in over a week… _

"You know, you should brush up on your wedding etiquette yourself Evans," James muttered as he looked in her eyes, pulling her from her thoughts. "No one's supposed to outshine the bride-and yet you could have been camping with the Marauders and you'd still be the most beautiful woman here."

"I don't know if I should be flattered or offended, the bride is my sister after all…" she laughed, rolling her eyes and turning her face away, trying to avoid the eye contact that she knew would result in a return of scarlet to her cheeks. _Blasted Potter seems to bring out the red in me, red temper, red blush…oh and Dad's Maroon face.._. She turned her attention to examining the wedding party. Petunia was still oblivious to James' presence and she was now waltzing around the yard with the walrus; her father had disappeared inside and from the looks of the back window he was entertaining guests, while her mother was chatting up a storm with Emmy Van Aulfen of the Jell-O mold fame. All the other guests where busy dancing eating, and waltzing. No one had eyes on her or the tall boy with gel fashioned hair, except perhaps nosey ol' Vicar Carraway, but he was _religiously nosey, _and for that reason didn't count.

A sudden breath of wind played with the bottom of her skirt, tossing a new stray curl around her neck. The tempting wind of freedom was making her an offer that she couldn't refuse after hours of wedding servitude.

"Come on, let's get out of here for a bit," she smirked, taking his hand and leading him out the back gate. "I've been a maid all day, I need a moment of sanity."

"Is your Dad going to murder me in my sleep if I sneak off with you?" James asked, his hand now free from her's but wrapped around her shoulder.

"No, not as long as I come home tonight, I don't think he'll go after you," she answered, escaping his side embrace as she walked ahead, around the back alley ways and down the stone cobbled path in the late spring night.

"Where are we?" James asked after a few dark streets, looking around for his bearings. He could only see a sign that pointed to a street marked _'Spinner's End'_ but she wasn't headed in that direction, but opposite, down another maze of alleys and back ways on a map that she had long embedded in her memory.

"Come on Potter, follow me," she called back, her voice echoing along the empty streets. "Where's your sense of adventure?"

"You're lucky I've been playing Quidditch for years and I'm just back from a camping trip with the boys or this would be a nightmare, you know that, right?" James joked around, faking his panting as he looked at his surroundings. An open, grassy knoll with trees encasing the park, a small swing set that she had once possibly played on, and bushes; the makings of a secret garden where Lily, his Lily, was comfortable, at peace and waiting for him.

She had slipped out of her heels that looked as though they'd been charmed for comfort, and, much to James's delight, had shifted her dress so it was more comfortable, but also a sleeve, now drooping, revealing her sun kissed, freckled top shoulders. Her mane of red, previously tucked into a square cloche, now ran freely down her shoulders, the way James preferred it. Freeing herself of her fashion bonds, she lay down on the cool grass and looked up to the stars.

"Come on James, lets star gaze, see if we can find that damn star Sirius is named after," she beckoned as she spread out on the ground, taking in a deep breath and closing her eyes as though she was trying to enjoy her new found freedom. "Maybe then you'll tell me why you crashed my sister's wedding and maybe I'll tell you why I fibbed about the marmalade..."

"No explanation needed there Lily," James smirked, joining her by her side again, "Hanging out with the damned star and I has been an bad influence on you."

"You give yourself too much credit," she answered, rolling on her side facing him. "But why _did_ you come? You weren't in the neighborhood, I asked Remus and he said you'd be camping in the Forest of Dean... that's well to the South-"

"So not only have Sirius and I been a bad influence on you by sneaking fibbing, we've also taught you how to weasel classified information out of Remus?" He turned on his back and loosened his bow tie. "We _have_ been a bad influence on you. "

"I've been getting information out of Remus for quite some time now Potter, don't flatter yourself," she scoffed as she moved closer to James and laid her head on his shoulder, turning her inquisitive eyes up to see his face. "Are you going to keep dodging the question or am I ever going to find out why you were here when you should be in Wales?"

She could feel his muscles flex as he sighed, causing her to give a quick prayer of thanks for Quidditch. His tone was a mix of annoyance and embarrassment, the frazzled Potter. "There was an attack in Yorkshire, I wanted to make sure you were alright. Sirius had been lifting Moony's copy of the Prophet, we wanted to make sure you and Vera were alright and when I saw there had been an attack in the North I…"

Lily lifted up her head and knitted her eyebrows together, looking at him as though he was still the toe-rag Potter. "You understand that I'm going to fight him, don't you?" she asked annoyed, "You realize that I want to help destroy Voldemort."

"Of course I do," he began, rising up to be level with her, knowing very well he was suddenly skating on the proverbial thin ice. "I know you want him gone…"

"So you understand that I've weighed out the risks and I know that _my _death might be involved in my plans. I know that you know that there's a good chance none of us will make it out alive…"

It was his brow's turn to knit together in frustration, "Don't talk that way Lily…"

'You can't come running to make sure I'm safe all the time James," she reminded him softly, her fingers playing with the grass. "I'm not a Hufflepuff. I'm not going to be sitting here, waiting for someone else to fight my battles. You need to get over this bloody hero complex you have. I swear one day it's going to kill you…. I know I haven't applied to the Auror Academy, but I _want_ to be out there, in the midst of it, tossing curses, jinxes, I'm not going to fight. I'm going to do all that I can even if that means…"

"I'm not going to see you die," he said abruptly, his hand clasping hers as he stared into her eyes, his own hard and troubled. She could hear the music of the night silence itself, the crickets no longer chirping, the swing now silent.

"I know your a fighter Evans, it's what I love most about you," He said, his voice softer for a moment before it regained his serious tone, " But I'm not, _you're _not allowed to die. That's why _I'm_ going to be an Auror. Then I'm on the front lines and you're further in…"

Lily rolled her eyes, "You bloody over protective git…"

"Some Muggles would call that Prince Charming," James smirked, as he leaned in and kissed her forehead, the discussion, she knew, now closed.

"I've never liked Prince Charming," Lily muttered, the warmth that came from his touch sending a peaceful calm through her hot blood. "Never gave Cinderella a blasted chance…"

"Good, because I've never liked a girl who wanted to be a damsel in distress," James whispered, his lips brushing the soft kin below her ear, the peaceful calm turning into a wild fire on her cheeks.

"Who you calling a damsel?" She gasped, in the fathom of a whisper.

"You'll always be my damsel you little Amazon," he whispered, again as James Potter leaned in and began moving his lips over hers, answering her next response before her brain became coherent enough to form a question. Her lips seemed to answer before she knew it; this wasn't the nightmare she had once envisioned when James had first proposed they meet in a broom closet their fourth year. She wasn't repulsed, but rather relaxed, sitting on the soft grass, his free hand supporting her head, pulling her closer to his ever questioning lips, while she could feel her own hand wrapped around his neck her finger playfully twirling his wild black hair as though she was calling for him. When his questions slowed, she noticed how her hand began pulling his head closer, her pilgrim lips pushing forward to be purged by the fire of his embrace.

She had once thought an embrace such as this would cause her to throw up, that her toes would coil and she'd slap him across the face. No, she was at a far better peace than she'd ever known or dreamt. She could feel her heart fluttering like a birds wing, she could feel the pulse echoing in her ear, but his kiss lit a fire in her. One she never wanted to put out. One that she wasn't quite sure she'd ever _let _be put out. Even if she wanted to...

He pulled away, leaning his forehead against her own, his lips only inches away from her still wanting lips. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that," he panted, fixing his glasses that had some how become skewed in those few fleeting moments.

"You're definitely a better kisser than the squid," she chuckled, watching in delight as a smile filled his face. _This _was the way she had envisioned happiness would be. _This _was what if must feel like to have that missing piece put together inside you. _This _was the insane part of a relationship she had never believed in but now clung to as though her life depended on it.

Her hands, still draping his neck now played with his lapel. "Promise me you'll visit when you're not afraid of finding me dead from an attack?"

His chaser's thumb brushed her cheek as he looked at her emeralds, "Promise me you'll let me be on the front line?"

She tilted her head playfully as she looked into his hazel eyes guarded by the black frames. "Deal, but I might have some negotiations," she muttered before she returned her lips to his.

* * *

((*))

* * *

Lily lay in bed with a smile on her face, listening to Vera's silence and knowing after a story like that, her friend was indeed asleep. In truth, she had verbally only made it as far as her and James talking about the Marmalade in the back yard. Although she fully intended to share the details of their first kiss with her best friend, she smiled in knowing that, at least till Vera brought it up again, those moments under the stars were still theirs alone. She doubted James was in his dorm filling his mates in with their embrace. If anything Sirius probably asked if he had a good evening and then started discussing the Puddlemore game.

She rolled on her side, snuggling into the depths of her pillow and quilt. It had been a good evening, a _very _good evening.

* * *

((*))

* * *

"Happy thought students, the key to casting a strong patronus is a _happy thought_," Professor Dalup emphasized on a particularly misty April morning the week before the exams began. "While it is very common for the Ministry to choose _not_ to test N.E.W.T leveled students the Patronus Charm, due to recent events the Professors believe that this, as well as other Defensive spells, will be emphasized on this year's exam."

"Bleeding Hippogriffs, just another reason to hate Moldyvort. Now we have to relearn seven years of spells they told us we'd never need to know because we live in such a bloody utopia society," Sirius grumbled as the professor droned on.

"Happy and strong…stop thinking so hard Pettigrew, you'll mess yourself with the level of concentration you're putting in," Dalup barked, looking at the red faced and squinting eyes of Peter.

James smirked and looked across the chamber were Lily and Vera stood, silver mist leaking from their wands, spilling without form on the floor.

"What do you figure your Patronus will be?" James asked Sirius, his eyes still set on Lily. "I hear hedgehogs are pretty fierce—they go for the throat… you could be that."

"I dunno," he began, " But if it's something wimpy like a rat or a fish I might just use an unforgiveable on myself," Sirius yawned. "Wouldn't be surprised if we are what we turn into…I mean lets face it—dogs they're pretty macho _and_ they're man's best friend. As for stags, well, they're macho—why else would they be on walls?"

"That's what I think," he answered, flipping his wrist to see the silver begin to emerge. What happy thought would he use to summon the animal within? Meeting Sirius? His first night transforming as Prongs? Lily Evans saying adieu to Snivilous? Lily Evans helping him in Hogsmeade? Lily Evans kissing him back? He was pretty sure that kiss alone could be the happiest thought in his world…

"Oi Prongs, there's something you need to see," Sirius smirked, nudging him out of this thoughts. Turning his attention back to the chamber, his eyes darted past Macnair and Snape's silver mist and the silver animals jetting around from Ravenclaws around him. Remus was sizing up the wolf that had emerged from his wand. Past the crowd he found the two people Sirius was hinting towards.

Vera was on her knees, a laugh finally filling her face as she played with the Pembroke welsh corgi waddling on the ground, a smile on her face for the first time in a long time as she watched the dog roll over on its belly wagging its bob of a tail.

Then, there was Lily, standing in awe of the silvery animal that was walking in circles around her. Perhaps it was his stag tendencies, but the doe nearly seemed to rival Lily in beauty; its long lashes showing as it tilted her head towards Lily as though its form surprised the patronus itself. The soft glow of the doe reflected in the emerald eyes as she lifted them up from the doe and matched them to James, a smile dancing on her lips.

_Lily, _he thought to himself as he managed to add a smile of his own to his awestruck face. The feel of her lips moving against his, the fiery temper, her stubbornness and the gentlest touch; he raised his arm and began the incantation. _Lily, _he meditated as a stag erupted from his wand, _his happy thought would always be Lily. _

* * *

_AN: Hello Lovlies! The semester ended and I have a few weeks to write before I'm banished again. First off, I thank you for all your love and support. This is a fun creative outlet for me and its all the better when I can share it with people that are also enjoying this tale. Sorry in advance if anything seemed unreasonably corny or essence of cheesy…I'll be point blank honest: I blame it all on Hallmark, Lifetime and ABC Family. Why all romance and weddings take place over the holiday, I will never know._

_Sorry this one was rather short. I haven't written this story for weeks and I'm afraid the semesters turned off my groove (cue throwing a professor out a Inca window…). So if Lily seemed to PDA, again, I blame hallmark and our regular Lily will be back when the holiday season is over._

_As always, questions and comments, praises and tomato throwing, feel free to leave a review or a PM!_


	20. Eye of NEWT

AN: TWENTY CHAPTERS...and we're _still _at Hogwarts! Upon starting this chapter, I sorta felt bad... I mean, twenty Hogwarts chapters is a bit much, but at the same time..._twenty_ chapters with this sort of word count is impressive for me anyway... but I'm setting a limit: three more Hogwarts Chapters at the most. I intend to have DL go till November 1981 and I'd also like this to be finished by this time next year (if not sooner) so we're going to put the seeker to the firebolt and get moving!

* * *

Eye of NEWT

* * *

_She was wandering again. The forest was greener now. Occasional caches of snow were still gathered at the bases of the trees, but soft green earth was more visible. Sunlight was leaking through the trees, sending rays of sunshine into the forest and giving it a feeling of peace. She had never noticed how beautiful the grounds where in all her years at Hogwarts-and the forest, though dark in some places with lingering shadows- today was just as lovely. _

_But something was missing. He wasn't here. He had to be here-what other reason did Lily Evans have for being in the _Forbidden Forest _if James Potter wasn't accompanying her? The weather was nice-perhaps Sirius had tracked him down and diverted him from meeting her, most likely challenging him to Quidditch. A smile slid to her face as she inhaled the spring air. The world was fresh-everything was fresh about it, it must have recently rained. It smelt like when her mum brought in clothes from the line...soft, clean cotton with a tinge of lavender...did Hagrid grow lavender out in the forest? She inhaled again, it wasn't lavender-it was stronger, and mustier-perhaps amber? And it wasn't lovely-but more like wormwood...rusty and chilling..._

_A dog's bark pulled her attention back. It came from beyond the ridge. She turned her head back to the path that would lead to Hogsmeade, she could still see the town, she could probably afford to sneak behind the ridge. If anything, she could startle him from behind a tree, it would serve him right for being late. Firming her grip on the handle of her wand, she heard another bark as she sleuthly made her way up the ridge, finding herself in that dreaded clearing she knew so well._

_She recognized the musty smell. While it smelt of a fresh rain, it was a tainted rain. Thick with the rusty smell of blood. _

_The dog was absent. The ever present grim was now nowhere in sight, but its victims lay on their earthly graves. Instead of the grim to greet her there was Sirius lying spread eagle with vacant eyes and a bloody torso. The sunshine of the day was the only light reflecting in his wide, open eyes. His facial expression showed that up till the last, he was confused, he didn't know what had gone on, and now his unknowing eyes saw the nothingness. He must have gone before Vera or his face would be twisted in anger, he would've died defending her, Lily decided as she moved over his body and ran to her friend's side. Vera had a gash on her temple from either a curse or a rock; her body slouched against the granite boulder. Lily could feel the wound was fresh, but the skin was cold, it was too late. Her torso to was sliced like Sirius, that mysterious but fatal serpents cut..._

_Lily turned away gazing deeper in the clearing, looking past the bodies of the people she knew in hopes of finding that mop of black, wild hair and eschewed glasses. If it was too late for Sirius and Vera, was it to late for him? She would mourn for the lost, but only after finding him. _

_"Lily," her guardian voice called out as she moved past the dead Prewett brothers. The voice brought back the peace she had felt only moments before stepping into this clearing. She was paralyzed beside the corpses of her friends as James rushed over to her, his glasses lopsided but otherwise alive and embracing her, holding her close, his arms her happy jailors. _

_"Thank God you're alive," he murmured over and over again, crushing her into him as his hand stroked her hair. His own voice unexpectedly weak but his grip around her strong, "Thank God…"_

_"James, Sirius-Vera-I think they're dead..."she quivered never having been able to converse in a dream the deaths. Normally he himself was dying, now she could actually tell him. "We need to get out of here, they'll be after you next…" She couldn't finish what she was saying "Come on, we can get out of here and back to the village, McGonagall will know what to do..." she stopped for a moment that she knew had altered her new found peace. She felt something warm against her chest and could feel James wincing back..._

_"He's coming Lily, you need to hide," he started, his face pale as he pulled the cloak out of his pocket, his white shirt now soaking in blood. He wrapped the cloak around her shoulders as he had once before; the red of his shirt deepened as he staggered, "Go Lil-eee, you must hide..."_

_She could hear a voice call out crucio, and felt James' grip on her wrist wither, as he let out a cry. This wasn't happening. Potter didn't cry. Neither did she. That's how they were going to survive, he was human, yes, but he was a hero to her...she couldn't imagine her super Potter crying out. It simply wasn't allowed._

_She looked past the ridge and could still see the idealic town of Hogsmeade, why had she ever left it? Tightening her grip on James, she firmed her voice "No, we can hid, I can fix you up, you'll be fine, I've memorized the first aide pamphlet the ministry sent out. I'm not that good but it'll last for a little bit... we'll get you to Promfrey, we've lost friends we won't lose each other..."_

_"No Li-leee," he staggered, falling to the ground, his strength leaving her grip. "I need you to run as fast as you can, be the Amazon, not the damsel. Merlin's teeth…Go now Lily! For Me-"_

_'Let me fight him," she begged, a newfound wetness on her face. This couldn't be real, James wouldn't give up like this, _why_ was he giving up like this? This wasn't the damned chivalry he'd always bragged of. If making sure she was safe and then giving up on himself was chivalry she wanted nothing to do with the practice. She wanted him to fight. She had to fight. "I'm not leaving and you're not dying," she said definitely, standing in front of him, ignoring his protests. A crackle of laughter came from the shadows, an old wand held in a white, wispy hand the only visible thing as she lifted her wand._

_"_EXPELLIARMUS!" Lily cried aloud, her eyes opening to find not the red of the defensive spell, but the familiar red of her bed curtains. Vera rose suddenly from her own sheets, her hair standing in every which way direction. Looked at her friend, the sleepy Lily rubbed her eyes and gave a shaky sigh of relief.

"The moment we get our acceptance letters, by Merlin we're purging our brains. I don't care if we have to get rip roaring drunk, you're listing off spells in your dreams…the madness has to stop somewhere," Vera mumbled as she rolled out of bed. "Thank heavens this is the last day of NEWTS."

"Yeah, defensive spells," Lily repeated, sitting up in bed and letting the dream settle in her mind. _It was just a dream,_ she reassured herself, _it was just that same, bloody dream. He's alright, they're all alright…Peter's probably having a nose bleed over this last NEWT, but they're all physically right _she nearly chanted. Her chants continued as she caught the occasional glimpse of her living friend, her golden curls bouncing, free from the dried, crusty blood she had dreamt. She was alive, which naturally meant Sirius was alive and she had single handedly channeled her inner Amazon and saved James Potter...

"You think they'll just keep it simple and exam us over _Expelliarmus?_" Vera asked as she did her hair, "I hope so, that was basic third year. I hope they'll go for some of the counter, self-defense jinxes and hexes. Orrin always thought I had a good Siam Slit Hex… mind you its not Snape's jinx that cuts you up, should stop an attacker at least for a little bit. Plus its not as messy… could hide evidence better…"

"Probably just funny spells like that, and then the stuff Dalop had us practice last week, You know the ministry, they're rarely on top of it; it's taken them nearly five years to admit to this whole You-Know-Who business," Lily replied as she climbed out bed, hoping to leave the frightful images of the night before on her pillow. "If only it was over today like the test, we'd be having the hang over of our lives"

"If only" Vera laughed, looking out the window towards the forest, "If only."

* * *

((*))

* * *

Sirius Black was ready for the end of the bloody test the moment he stepped into the Great Hall.

"Ah, Sirius Black!" a stout Professor smiled as Sirius walked over to his station. "Professor Evard. I've given two generations of Blacks their N.E.W.T examinations and you make lucky number three," he smiled, shaking Sirius arm with such strength Padfoot contemplated whether or not he had dislocated his wand arm.

"Did those two previous generations get good marks or should I keep walking?" He asked eyeing the chair next to the blonde, curly haired witch.

"Oh you have your father's sense of humor," the man barked with laughter, his big belly shaking as he guffawed. "How is your dear old man? Still running about the Ministry?"

"And telling people what to do from what I hear," he answered briskly; cursing the fact Evans had just taken his other seat with the blonde tester. "I don't see dad really, but next time I do I'll pass on your regards."

"Please do, please do," Professor Evard started as he pulled on his steel clipboard and lowered his iron-rimmed glasses. "Nothing to worry about here, just have to show me a little bit of that Black Magic you have up your sleeves," the professor laughed again. "Ah, Black Magic, forgive me, I do like a laugh."

_Classic, _Sirius grumbled as he put on a weak smile. _You have to do well on this one Paddy, _he thought, j_ust guard that tongue of yours so you can get the damn NEWT_. "So tell me Sirius, before we start on the practical portion of the exam, how do you believe you did on the written portion of the examination? Any questions you'd like to clear up? Anything that wasn't clear?"

"No, I think I did alright," he answered blankly while inside he was struggling to keep his sarcasm in. _Is this Defense Against the Dark Arts or idle chitchat? Or perhaps the new way to defend yourself from Death Eaters is boring them to death with stories about their family trees._

"Flew right through it did you?" The man asked with a smile checking boxes and making notes on his board. _Enough of this, _the impatient Marauder thought, _he wants idle chitchat…_

"Don't know if I'd go that far," Sirius answered coolly, tapping his wand in his hand impatiently, " But I did better than the bloke in front of me I hope. From his essay it looked like he didn't know the difference between a hag and a Hufflepuff."

"You mean to tell me you were looking at a classmates paper," the man asked quickly, his gray handlebar mustache twitching and his eyes wide as saucers. The look on the professors was the mirror image of how Sirius would expect Remus to look...yet for some reason Sirius didn't expect laughter to ensue in the coming moments.

"Don't tell me you're an ex-'Puff sir, I was only pulling your leg…" But the cherry cheeks and stern eyebrows showed that the man was less than enthused. " You know, figure you've been observing students all week, give you a little laugh eh?" _Shit_, he thought as he rolled up his sleeves, _so much for the whole "Break the ice bit." Last time I listen to one of Moony's bloody books. But the idle chitchat is gone…_

"Thank you Mr. Black, now could you please display the use of a non-verbal incantation on this bottle please. '_Reducto_,' if you'd be so kind," the Professor with the twitching mustache began.

He imagined the greasy git of Slytherin shrunk and stuck in the bottle. _This is going to be easy, _he thought, raising his wand arm and waiting for blue beam to destroy his target.

* * *

((*))

* * *

"One final thing if you'd be so kind Mr. Black," Professor Evard started looking up from his menacing clipboard that Sirius wished he could reduce to ashes unlike the ministry-approved dummy. "In light of recent dark events-"

"Would those be the events mentioned in the Daily Prophet or the ones the Ministry is covering up?" Sirius asked, having grown too comfortable with his snide side comments throughout the examination.

The Professor glared through his glasses, mustache twitching as eyebrows knit together. "In light of _recent_ events, a survey is being conducted with NEWT students as a sample. The Academy of Magical Theory, in association with the Department of Mysteries want to know the boggarts of seventh year students if you'd be interested. Doesn't take long at all, completely voluntary," the man looked up from his script, "It only takes a minute and will not affect your scores in anyway."

"With all due respect," Sirius began hoping his behavior during the test would have the Professor questioning _if _Sirius had such a thing as respect, "I'd rather not. I've been through six NEWT exams which are six too many, and I don't think it's their business to know my bloody boggart fear."

"If that's your decision, thank you for your time. Your scores will be posted by the end of next month," Professor Evard finished, looking up from your script. "You may exit the hall."

_Freedom,_ Sirius breathed, a slight bounce in his step as he left the test area. He hadn't been worried about the test per se, but he was ready for everyone who _had _worried to return to their senses. James and Lily would continue their relationship that seemed to finally be unfolding, Moony would return to reading his second hand muggle classics by the fireplace, Peter would be more willing to do stupid things just because he suggested it…and Vera, _Vera…_

While she was wrong with several of the accusations she had laid against him that morning in the Great Hall, she had hit some chords that _he _knew was just out of stress. It wasn't right for this _one _girl to have such power over his mood. He was Sirius Black, Casanova extrodinare and yet this one girl seemed to have turned him from Casanova to Pinnochia—or whatever that puppet was called.

_She'll be back to normal now, _he thought, _everything will be back to normal. _He had almost made it out of the hall when he heard a witch gasp. Quickly looking up, his eyes darted and saw Lily Evans looking down, clearly upset at something on the floor, her face slowly draining of color, her normally absent freckles were becoming more and more apparent.

He knew it wasn't his better judgment but he headed in her direction. Although she could be in the middle of her test, he noticed it wasn't the attractive Professor sitting with Lily anymore. Rather, there was a witch with black hair in a white lab coat the resembled a muggle who played with rats all day.

"What's going on," he asked the witch who was obviously someone from the survey. But the witch didn't answer; she just stared at the same spot as Lily, her quill moving quickly across the page. He looked at the spot; trying to see what the brave Evans feared most. He had half thought it'd be Mc Gonagall going on about her marks or perhaps her muggle sister, but instead there was an image that he knew would forever haunt his eyes.

James lay dead on the floor. His body slumped on his side, blood from his upper torso. His vacant eyes looking up at Lily, Looking up without seeing...

_'R-Ridiculous...'_

"Lil-eee," the white lips whispered while the eyes remained vacant, " You need to run, go..."

_"No_" a determined little voice whispered, he could see her lips, rather her entire frame, trembling. She looked as bad, if not worse than he felt. Her face pinched between fear of the realism and horror of the imaginary situation. "_R-Ridiculous."_

"_Go L-li-Lill-" _The Boggart James stammered, as though an invisible hand was tightening its grasp on him.

"You're bloody well not dying on me Potter," he could hear her mutter, "_Ridiculous!"_ She bellowed the Body turning into a rag doll that had a needle sew together the skin that had once been covered in blood before the doll shrunk into a ginger bread man that hobbled away on a cane.

The moment the boggart disappeared; Lily turned her head over to the survey woman and for the first time realized Sirius presence. "Come on Black, let's go," she said, briskly ignoring the surveyor as she walked out of the room, Sirius struggling to follow behind her.

"Oi, Evans, follow me," he said once he had finally caught up with her. She was walking with purpose, he assumed she was headed back to her room where she'd wait for Vera, eating small chocolates and hugging a pillow as she cried…or whatever it was girls did in distress without their best friend.

_What are you going to say now Sirius? Lovely Boggart you had there-Think James is going to kick the bucket anytime soon?_ _And can I say, lovely death scene…he went out in an attack, what better way for a Gryffindor to go…_No, anything related to James' was worrisome enough. James was the one family he had left. If _James _died, physically gone...what would life be? He knew Prongs and he would eventually find nice girls to marry and live across the street from one another, their army of children reigning havoc on the neighbors, but death had never been factored in with any of their hair brained schemes; and there on the floor of the Great Hall he realized that unknown fear Lily had so abruptly pointed out.

"Listen Black, I really need to rest," she started, trying to escape up the stairs, "I've had a long week, that bloody survey didn't do me any favors-"

"I know, which is why you need to follow me," he started turning the opposite direction. He looked up at the girl who for years he swore had a wand stuck up her arse she was so frustrating. "Listen, James and Vera just started their exam. You and I both know that you're not going to begin to unwind till he's done. Top all that off, I'm the only person other than you and his mum that can stand Jamie boy so believe me, I'm not going to walk you into a prank. "

He watched as she turned away from the stairs and joined him at his side "What are you up to?" She asked hesitantly.

"You're my best mate's girl. I don't want you to be all mopey," he answered as they turned the corner, he leading the way in silence.

Other than those first few weeks of their first years when Slughorn had paired them as potion partners, he had never spent a moment with Lily Evans alone. He had no idea what to say to her; after all, what did they have in common? For his first and second year, she had been the girl who occasionally got teased as the Marauders harassed Snape. For half of his third through fifth years she was the subject of his friend's madness, bewitching him in some damn undetectable, unforgiveable methods. For his sixth year she was the best friend of his pursuit and now she had been the one who was dating his best friend, causing said friend to leave at a moment's notice if her safety was in jeopardy.

And now, she was also walking by his side as they took a back passage to a fruity portrait.

"So did you have a nice examiner?" He asked trying to break the silence between them, "She looked rather nice..."

He noticed her lips twitch, "You would be checking out every witch in the room wouldn't you? We're you paying any attention to your examiner?"

"I was paying plenty attention but when you're being baffled by twenty questions from a man who kisses up to you're estranged parents, you're not exactly _trying_ to pay attention," Sirius grinned as they reached the corridor at the end of their journey. _Sneaking into the kitchens with the Head Girl…this is going to go over well. _"Alright Evans, I'm going to give you a surprise, but I need you to stand in this corner and close your eyes, got it?"

"You're mental…"

"And you're the Head Girl; I'm trying to make you're day better but the only way I know how is through….less than respectable means. Now corner…" he pointed then folded his arms waiting for her to obey. Her feet staying firmly planted on the floor.

"I'm not going anywhere Black," Lily, answered deviant, color finally returning to her cheeks, _well if the Elves won't help you perhaps having her lose her temper on you will be the best medicine, _he thought to himself before she spoke again, "I promise, unless its high in disregard for the rules, I won't give you a hard time."

"This doesn't go against the school rules as much as it goes against the Marauder pact of 1974, now corner," he pushed, puffing up his chest and standing up straight as though he hoped _that _would stop her determination.

"_Fine,_" Lily sighed exasperatedly. "But how about I just stay fixed right here and close my eyes. I refuse to stand in a corner. I'm not a dog up for scolding."

"_Fine" _repeated Sirius as he watched Lily close her eyes and headed to the portrait of the bowl of fruit. _She just had to make a damn dog reference, _he thought, tickling that special spot that opened the portrait to his favorite part of the castle.

"Oh Mr. Sirius," a round elf with a crooked nose greeted, "Are you ready for your afternoon lunch already?"

"No Washy, I'm going to have to cancel that lunch, but I was wondering if you lot had a chocolate bar or two to spare? Small womanly emergency…" he winked, nudging his head over his shoulder towards Lily who he hoped was standing eyes closed.

"Is Miss Vera alr…" the elf asked hopping up and down as though he wished to get a better glimpse of the woman in distress.

"Just two chocolate bars," he cut off, trying not to put another girl into his mess. He could only imagine the soap opera the elves would turn this into. _Merlin, between your best friend, his girl, and your girl, it's a miracle you make it through every day with the good looks you have. How the bloody hell does Moony do it with all of us?_

The small elf returned with the two large bars in purple wrappings, "If there's anything else you need, Master Sirius is always welcome."

"Thanks Wash, see you tonight eh? NEWTS end and the boys are feeling like a party up in Gryffindor house" Sirius grinned taking the bars and closing the portrait whole as the crooked nose elf scrambled to his station to share Sirius' party order. Turning his back, his attention to Lily who seemed to have flicked her eyes quickly.

"I hope you're more sneaky with James or you're never going to get away with anything," he sighed, tossing a chocolate bar, "Moony swears this is the best medicine for anything that isn't _physically_ affecting you. Apparently chocolate is the medicine of the mind."

"Any girl could have told you that enlightened one," Lily snorted, unwrapping the rectangle bar, breaking off a small corner as they continued their stroll back to the heart of the castle, along the empty hallways streaming with sunshine. _Prongs might be able to deal with the silence, but the hell if I can._ "I know I'm not Moony, but I am pretty good at handing out chocolate don't you think?"

"Oh I know you are," she said, a smile pulling on her cheeks, "Vera tells me all the time. But all the same," she stopped, looking at the lanky heir of mischief. "Thank you. Any chance you're going to tell me how much of my nightmare you saw back there?"

"I saw enough," he started, the chill of seeing James dead leading him to take a rather large bite out of the chocolate bar. "You know, James and I always thought your worst fear would be grades or him cornering you in a broom closet. As relieved as he'll be it wasn't the later…"

"Don't worry, I'm not telling him this," she said definitely, her head high. "And you're not telling him either. There's no reason for him to know I'm delusional."

_Steel Lilies, that's what this flower is,_ he thought as he made his way over to a bench on the side of the corridor. "Being worried for a friend at a time like this isn't delusional Evans. Sometimes, life is a bloody mess and trust me, you left no blood out of that boggart."

"That wasn't as bad as it has been," she said, squinting her eyes as though the real horror was guarded behind her emeralds. "Sometimes I have the nightmare and I'm there when he gets hit…or I'm there and he's dying," he noticed a thin layer of goosebumps adorning her skin. "Today was different…I think this is the first time I've ever seen him die," the wrapper of her chocolate now balled in her hand, "I guess that's my true fear."

"Speaking as his best friend and brother, he wouldn't want you to worry," he said evenly. "It's a guy thing. We sure as hell don't want _you_ to fight, but if death's going to come, might as well come to us. You could debate over whether or not its fair," he started, looking at her face that showed she wanted to say something. "But given the choice, he'd rather be in that coffin then find you in there."

"Do you ever think life's just messed up Black?" Lily asked, shaking her head as though she had had this conversation before. _So this is what she and Jamsie talks about? A few snogging sessions would do them right…_ "Do you ever feel like You-Know-Who's made us all grow up before we ought to? My worst fear should've been a boggart James breaking up with me, or death eaters attacking _me…" _

"We've had to grow up Evans, but I suppose when you think about it, better the accelerated track then not growing up at all," he answered, surprising himself with his own maturity.

She shared the surprise, "Did I just hear a Marauder endorse growing up?" She asked cocking her head to the side, "Who are you and what have you done to Sirius Black?"

"Not grow up…" he interceded, looking down the corridor to make sure it was empty, "Aging is mandatory but maturity is optional. I'm a firm believer in that philosophy. What I ment to say isn't it better to at least grow up and live some portion of life than miss out on those moments all together?"

For the slightest moment, he thought he had said something too philosophical again. Probably the byproduct of reading Moony's books with a week before exams, but he watched as a wave of peace hit her face and saw a shadow of a smirk return to her empty smile.

"I suppose you have a point there," she nodded, her hand lightly resting on his wrist. "Thanks Black, I think I needed that…"

"You're welcome," Sirius started; surprised that Evans had touched him. He had always envisioned Lily's touch involving a noose or a stranglehold.

"Should we go wait for the boys to finish up?" She asked standing up and slowly moving towards the stairs that would lead them down to the Great Hall.

"Probably," the prince of mischief agreed, standing up and joining the Head Girl. "Oh but one more thing Evans, seeing how you call all the other Marauder's by first name, you might as well start doing the same for me. No more of this 'Black' business."

She flipped her hair over when she looked over at him. "I can try, but what's bringing this on? I've called you Black since our first year."

"No reason in particular," Sirius smirked, linking arms with her as they marched down the stairs, the way a father and bride would on a special occasion. "In return I'm going to _try_ and start calling you Lily. You know, get in the habit."

"There has to be a reason for that Black," she poked, waving at Remus and James who were walking out of the Great Hall now, a good fifty yards away from them.

"Just a small reason," Sirius muttered low so just she could hear, "You're not going to be an '_Evans' _forever."

* * *

AN: I've had a professor say "Boys don't understand that when you marry a girl, you marry her roommates too." Now, not that I'm calling any of the Marauder's Girls, but they seemed to be tight like unto the group of girls my professor was hinting at. We all know that Lily and Sirius had a personal vandetta against each other but I like to think they became really _really _close friends. After all, she agreed to have him being named Harry's Godfather, right?

Thank you for reading! As usual, questions, comments, support or frustration can be voiced through reviews or PM's (but if your utterly disgusted, maybe limit it to PM eh?) I'm sad to announce that my semester's started again so updating may be few and far between but Just like James never gave up on lily, I'll never give up on this story. It's my creative crack in a way...

Happy 2011! ~Kait


	21. Affairs in Order

D: I own a lap top and student loans. be jealous.

AN: Back at Jolly University but I have a little treat for you all... chapter 21!

* * *

Affairs in Order

* * *

The afternoons that seemed to follow the end of NEWTs arrived as long awaited sunshine following a dark winter. Many of the professors had lightened their homework load and remaining lessons were more life advice than academic learning. While some students still seemed to be suffering the after effects of NEWTs, jittery hands when opening post or compulsive reading for hours on end, Lily Evans was not among them. Rather she had fallen into the habit of spending her sunny afternoons along the lake under a tree, her lap often serving as the pillow for the just as leisurely James Potter.

"You know, other than the living hell the NEWTS put us through, this year hasn't been bad at all," James Potter smiled on one such afternoon, his eyes closed as he laid in ease, his head nestled on Lily's lap as her fingers messed with his black mop. "Sure Lord Moldy's tightened his grip on some things, but all in all..."

"All in all I think you've become quiet the optimist James Potter," Lily chuckled, as she leaned back against the huge tree that was providing them with both shade and privacy.

James opened one of his eyes as he looked up at her.

"I've always been an optimist Lily, how else do you think I'd been able to endured your constant spurning for six years?" He took hold of her hand and kissed her palm. "Padfoot said I was delusional, Moony thought I was up for the biggest disappointment in my life…"

"And Peter?" she asked tilting her head, to better view his face. "I suppose Peter thought I really had three heads and was going to eat you at any given moment."

"Nah, although you scared the rats out of him," James answered with an amused smile. "No Pete always thought I had a shot, but that's just because he takes turns on whose side he's going to be on and it just happens to be mine most times I talked about you."

"He's a good friend then, we'll have to remember his favor someday," Lily answered, turning her eyes from James to the grounds. She could see Gryffindor tower's windows aglow in yellow as they felt the last rays of sunshine for the day. Sun still kissed the Black Lake, its touch could be found on the green of the hills, the flowers now emerging from the ground and the song in the forest beyond the two Gryffindors. "I don't think I've ever noticed how beautiful Hogwarts is," Lily said in a soft whisper. " It's funny how we'll be leaving it soon, it feels as if we've just arrived."

"Every Gryffindor has to leave the Lion's den eventually," he said, sitting up and joining her in looking at the grounds. " It doesn't seem real that in a month we'll be gone. Have you…do you know what you want to do yet, when we leave?"

"If I get accepted into St. Mungo's Potion Institute, I'm going there," she said, keeping her focus on the top of Gryffindor tower, as though she was not ready to look full face into the unknown James was talking about. "Slughorn wants me to go study with the International group but that's too far. I'd spend two years interning in Switzerland and at the end of the day Mum and Dad are getting older, Vera will be stressing out over something or another, I'm needed here," she said defiantly as though she was listing off a well memorized speech.

She could almost hear the wind whizzing as James whipped his head back towards her. "You aren't turning the Corps down because of me are you? You know that the Auror Academy puts me away from you for a while, right?"

"I know that," she answered, her voice hard. _Dear Lily Evans could have taken on the world but she just got twitter patted by that Potter boy, _she was sure that'd be Slughorns words. She couldn't answer to Slughorn, but she was ready for James. "I like you Potter, but not enough I'd base my life plans off your post-Hogwarts educational pursuits."

"Is that so?" he asked, looking at her in a way Lily couldn't decipher quiet right. _Have you said something wrong? _It was just the honest truth. They had been dating, that was true. They had shared a kiss, and several more over the spring, but _after_ Hogwarts, _after_ they decided their career plans _after _he went into the Auror's Academy, _after _everything; what was their future?

"Well, not yet," she said quietly. "I'm not going to tie you down, and you're not going to do that to me, right?"

What Lily had long admired about her parents was their ability to stand their own ground. Their ability to rely so heavily on each other for encouragement and companionship, but also to be their own person when needed. To be strong for one another, but also strong for themselves. It was something she admired, and attempted to emulate. Marriage, especially marriage to James, wasn't on her horizon. _Not yet,_ as Sirius had so lovingly pointed out following her NEWTs.

"Lily, if a man thinks he can tie you down you can trust he's a fool," the boy answered fixing his glasses, his eyes far away. "And although I'll admit to being a fool on many things, relationships included, I'd be an arse of one if I thought I could tie you down."

She smiled in the silence that followed. Enjoying the simple peace between them as the light began to dim from beyond the horizon.

"When do you find out?" she asked, breaking that precious silence. "About the Auror academy, you'll need to know whether you were accepted or not."

"I could get the letter tomorrow," his voice said evenly as she felt her sense of freedom disappear. "Apparently the department's been too busy with missing persons cases, between the Aurors and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement you're more likely to find yourself in an investigation rather than in a job interview."

"We'll just have to wait and see then, won't we? I'm sure you could write Frank Longbottom, he'd be helpful…"

"I could do that," he said, picking himself up from the grass and taking her hand, pulling her up as well. "But I have years to look forward to that and only a few more carefree days with you. And even with figuring out how I'm going to fight Moldy, you're always going to be my highest priority."

The kiss of sunlight on the grounds seemed to be fading, the rays of light fleeing at the close of another perfect, sunlit day.

"You're highest priority you say?" Lily asked as she laid her head into the groove of his shoulder. She could feel the warm touch of his lips on her head. She smiled at his declaration. How was it that he was always able to verbalize exactly what she was feeling, but always what she was unable to say?

* * *

(*)

* * *

"Any luck today Moony?" Peter asked the following morning, as he sat down to breakfast joining Remus who had just broken through another thin envelope from a department at the Ministry. Peter only had to look at the dejection on Remus' face to understand that today, just like days prior, there was no department that had openings for a highly educated, well certified, hardworking werewolf.

"Not today," Remus said with a weak, mocking grin as he shoved the letter in his pocket and fixed breakfast. "But it's alright, it was just the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Who wants to work for those loons anyway? Barty Crouch is inspirational yes, but his tactics of interrogation are raw at best."

"Don't worry mate, worse comes to worse you and I can go work at a Muggle post office. Mind you we have to do daily battle with dogs, but after a few full moons with Sirius can't be that bad, can it?" Peter chuckled, as he began his morning ritual of doubling the size of his plate with more food than a normal person would be able to digest in a day.

Remus could feel his lips form a smile. For all it was worth, Peter wasn't that bad of a friend to have. Each Marauder had brought something to the group collectively. Sirius had his street smarts and wit, as well as ability to get out of trouble with the female species. James shared many of Sirius' qualities in addition to his own perseverance, resourcefulness and loyalty to friends. Remus had once feared he'd be a risk to his friends, he had a good share of smarts and would do anything for the three friends who had taken so many risks for his sake.

Peter however, Peter was genuine in his concern for his friends. He didn't have the connections Sirius did, nor did he have the large inheritance James would one day receive, but Peter had the ability to find something to laugh about, something that could eventually fix the problem.

"Suppose the post office wouldn't be that bad. And after Greyback, I doubt another dog's bite would effect me," he joked as he opened the Daily Prophet and began the ritual scan of finding out who had died or disappeared since the last reading. _Best get a number for when James and Sirius get over here, _he thought, _if you don't give them the headlines right of the back they'll spend the entire breakfast going on about Puddlemore and West Ham's match last night._

"Anyone die today?" Peter asked, as he dug into another mountain of a meal. "That we know anyway?"

Remus looked down to scan the headlines. Still no information on the whereabouts of Lena Rigby's murderer. A man named Gale and his cousin Rosie where found murdered in Devon, but aside from the usual obituaries, nothing seemed large or newsworthy until he saw it.

It was a photograph of a man in a Muggle suit, smiling up at him, a woman, Remus assumed, his wife, close by.

"Chew's that?" Peter asked looking at the picture with a spoonful of oatmeal in his mouth. "Zare they Muggkles?"

"Morning lads," Sirius greeted them, plopping himself in the seat across from the two, James joining him on his right. "Who's the bloke in the monkey suit? Another Muggle murder?" he asked, picking a small part of Wormtail's breakfast plate out for his own.

"If they were Muggles, the picture wouldn't be moving," Remus said turning his attention to the description under the photograph. _Jesse Logan and his wife, Rachel, at the Muggle Prime Minister's Christmas celebration..._

"Prongs do we know a Jesse Logan?" Peter asked, knowing better than to seek information from Remus when he read his paper.

"The Auror?" James asked as he began fixing his breakfast plate similar to Peter's "I know him, he's the one who signed off on my application and forwarded it to Crouch's desk. Why?"

"Because he's missing," Moony said, turning to a page and skimming through the article. "'_Jesse Logan and his wife Rachel where last seen at the birthday tea of James and Audrey Callaghan, the Muggle Prime Minister and his wife, 27 March. Logan has been the leading Auror __in charge of __ finding Death Eater Cells in Britain. His wife, half-blood, is the goddaughter of Mrs. Callaghan. Supposedly the Logans were frequent guests with the Callaghans. Their disappearance is __shrouded __in mystery, as Ministry officials did not acknowledge the disappearance until late last night, having cited that Logan rarely reported in. "Bunch of hogwash, Jesse was always in the office. Not like him to run off, they were hiding it, didn't want the public to know," one source said. Rachel's sister suspects foul play says representatives of the elusive singer Celestine..._

"So Lord Moldy's going after the Auror Office now," James said in a low whistle, his own eyes staring at the picture in the Prophet. "Do me a favor Moony and hide that from Lily will you?"

"As if you can hide something like this from Lily," Remus sighed, looking up from the paper for the first time since finding the article, "You're a fool if you think you can hide disappearances from her. If this novice Rita Skeeter woman can put this together, no way of knowing where Lily..."

"Skeeter, what sort of name is that," Sirius scoffed rolling his eyes, "She's a one hit wonder. If that's her real name the Death Eaters will have her dead by morning for exposing something like this. And then that bit from the sister, _please, _we're in a war, now's not the time to suppose he's a killer. I swear all journalists are bloody busybodies…"

"But at the end of the day, she's telling us something and the Ministry's not, so I'll take the busy body," Remus mumbled, looking in James' direction, "Oi, Prongs…"

James couldn't understand what Remus was nodding his head towards until he turned around and saw the little second year. The boy stood tall, erect, his jaw clenched and his eyes in such focused if James didn't know any better he'd think the boy was born serious.

"What is it Kingsley?"

"Professor Dumbeldore would like to speak with you immediately," Kinglsey said in an even voice, handing James a piece of paper. He took the paper and instinctively put it in his pocket knowing it had that day's chosen password.

As he got up to leave he heard the bench move as Sirius, Remus and Peter also rise, as though on instinct from years of trouble making assume that it is an all Marauder summon to the headmaster's door.

"He said _only _James," the boy said firmly. "No Black, Lupin, Pettigrew, or Evans," he smirked.

"Thanks Shacklebolt," James says mirroring the boys smile. _If Lily and I can crack a smile on Shackle's face… _he smirked as he left the hall. Enjoying the fact that people were now coupling he and Lily together. It made him realize just how far they had come since her death glares on the train.

Yet as he made his way to the Headmaster's office he found himself realizing he was being summoned without his friends, without her. For some reason this realization that he was to be alone sent a deadly chill down his back and he wished for the slightest moment he had left the password and the cloak for Lily.

* * *

((*))

* * *

"Headmaster?" James called out, looking around the room for the beloved Head. He had never been called into the Headmaster's office for a social visit before. Most visits where usually a byproduct of a Marauder activity or most recently as part of his Head Boy duties, what was the reason for his most reason summon?

He looked around the sides of the room, his eyes fascinated by the whirling gadgets Professor Dumbeldore had gathered throughout the years. Past the collections of a century's worth of discoveries, he could see an old stone basin that James had seen in his father's study throughout the year. He knew better than to examine it, he had fallen into his parents more than once and he was fine not knowing the personal, intimate thoughts of Albus Dumbeldore.

He could hear something cooing behind him and he instantly turned. There, next to the Headmaster's desk stood a bird that to a Muggle eye, would look like the cross bread of a chicken, parrot and peacock. It's long red and orange feathers made the bird look as though it belonged in a sunset.

"Hello there," James smiled as he approached the bird.

"Hello James," a voice answered making James jump at once and turn around.

"For a minute I thought it was the phoenix speaking," James said as he greeted Professor Dumbeldore with an all-knowing smile.

"While phoenixes have many powers, I'm afraid Fawkes doesn't have the ability to speak; please sit."

Normally, this was the point in the visit when James would explain that his prank really didn't break any rules. But again, there was no break to explain. There was no reasoning, no case to plead, was this a pure social visit?

"I've never seen a phoenix before," James said looking at the bird, "Where did you find one?"

"Fawkes came to me when I was going through a rather trying time in my life," Professor Dumbeldore answered, adjusting his glasses as he pulled a letter from a stack on his desk.

"So that's how people find them? They just come?" James asked, while his eyes became fixed on the letter.

"In some instances yes. Their purpose is to heal, but also to cause a soul to become reborn. Fawkes has been a good friend, much like your friends Mr. Potter, if I'm not very much mistaken?"

James nodded, his answer not coming quick enough for Dumbeldore. "I hope they will continue to be there for you as you enter the Auror's Academy. Forgive me, but the acceptance letter is traditionally sent to the Headmaster first, and I wanted to congratulate you myself."

A mixture of utter elation and dread seemed to explode in James. Hadn't this been the moment he had waited for? _Why is it you're wishing for one of those bloody birds now?_

"That's fantastic!" He said with a smile, shaking Dumbeldore's hand. "Thank you Headmaster."

"You should be very proud James. It takes great effort and determination to get admitted to the program. Especially in these hard times," Dumbeldore said, handing James the letter. "Regardless of your entry, I still have another invitation to extend to you."

James' eyes had just begun to skim the letter; another invitation? What other job could Dumbeldore have that would be extended following the elite branch of the Ministry?

"Professor?"

"I understand that you have been in correspondence with Frank Longbottom, Fabian and Gideon Prewett this semester is that correct? Asking about joining them in a resistance?" James could see a sparkle in Dumbledore's blue eyes and suddenly the letter in his hand seemed meaningless.

"You're the resistance leader?" He asked, not in the least bit surprised. It only made sense. Dumbeldore was head of the Wizigmont, Headmaster of Hogwarts, and seemed to have achieved every accomplishment in the Wizarding world, why shouldn't he be head of the resistance force?

"And I want you to join us James. As a student in the Academy, we can have your eyes in the deepest circles of the ministry. You're talented, brave, resourceful…"

'What about the others? Remus, Sirius and Peter?" He interrupted unable to help himself.

'I will be calling them in individually throughout the day," Dumbeldore answered, waving his hand towards three envelopes he assumed where identical to his summons. _At least you won't have to keep this a secret from them, _his eyes focused on the three letters…_three…_

"What about Evans?" James asked, raising an eyebrow. "Surly you're going to invite Lily Evans in to your order?"

The sparkle in the Headmaster's eyes seemed to fade away. "Frank mentioned that Lily had expressed interest following the Stockport incident, but she hasn't made contact since…"

"So you're writing her off Professor?" James had to pause for a moment to control his frustration, "Professor, Lily Evans is one of the most talented witches of our year. You know that. You know what will happen we don't induct her into the order, someone else will, they'll go after her, she'll be a target and she won't join. they'll kill her!"

"We would be very remiss to let Miss Evans die," Dumbledore responded in a grandfatherly tone. "She has been accepted into the St. Mungo program; she will be studying in the same area as Miss Vera McKinnon and the Miss Alice Livesly. We can keep them safe together without putting them in the danger that would come if they where in the order..."

"But she's not going to want to be kept safe like a glass doll, she's a fighter," he said, in a moment realizing what all of those conversations, all of her stubbornness had really meant. "She'll be a good for the resistance…"

"I'll consider Miss Evans," Dumbeldore said, as though he was growing weary of the protests. "I have my reasons Mr. Potter, as you'll see in time. But until then, we'll be in touch."

As though he was one of his mother's house elves, he knew it was his time to leave. He turned, walking out of the room clutching his acceptance letter. In his mind, it seemed as though the carefree sunny afternoons with Lily where no longer his luxury, but that they were now limited thanks to the darkness he now had to face, without her.

He was going to be an Auror. He was going to be a member of the resistance. He was going to stop Voldemort; but one thing more certain, he wasn't going to see Lily Evans die.

* * *

((*))

* * *

Severus Snape imagined he could feel a spring in his step as he and Macnair emerged from the dungeons. He had thought it was to late for Lily; after Macnair's confrontation with her and Potter had been reported to the Dark Lord. There was rumor that this act of defiance could be the breaking point and the invitation should be revoked. He knew quiet well that Bellatrix was appalled that the 'Muddy Lily' was even being considered for a brotherhood she had so long been denied entrance to.

'"_What can she do that I can't?"'_ Malfoy had written in the letter Macnair and he had just read. '_This is to be said of Black women, they are a stubborn lot; in many ways I resent my wedding if Narcissa proves anything like her sister. Rudolphus has no control over his wife and if anything she uses him as a pawn to get her a position as a Death Eater._'

Severus didn't envy Malfoy, or Rudolphus. Severus didn't believe you could love someone as a Death Eater. But he didn't believe _he_ could love some one. Not anymore. The heart was the first victim of the Killing curse. His only option was no longer an option…

_Unless you convince her and make sure someone kills him,_ a sickly sinister voice whispered in the corners of his mind. _If you can make Lily come to her senses, if you can pull her __from Potter__, perhaps you could see if there was such a thing as a Death Eater who had a heart._

Severus knew it was too far a dream to wish. He knew that it would never be an option. But for the slightest moment, he could imagine the glow of standing next to her side. The warmth of her touch, her laugh…

"I'm glad Malfoy is married," Macnair interrupted as they returned to their dormitory, the cold of his existence rushing back to Severus, stealing the warmth he had just envisioned.

"And why would that be?" Severus asked dryly.

"Because perhaps now his letters will contain more news from the Dark Lord than it will him whining because he's marrying a girl who's sister is nothing but opinionated," his comrade grumbled, tossing Lucius letter into the flames. "You'd think after all the months we've been in correspondence with him we'd have gained some favor with Dark Lord, instead we're just sitting here."

"But we've gained the attention of the Dark Lord," Severus answered, watching his housemate roll his eyes. "If anything, our efforts to recruit Evans…"

"_Our _efforts? For your sake, you best hope you improve your efforts when you're working with her in Switzerland. Who knows how many strings had to be pulled to get you into the International Potions Cor-."

"Regardless," he interrupted, ignoring the insult. "I believe that separating Evans from him will help the situation. She'll be confused, weak, at the very least a Confounding charm will skew how she feels for Potter and then we can act."

"The Dark Lord made it clear he wanted the set, Potter and Evans…"

"And you made it clear that if we can't get him to cooperate we can find means to dispose of him," Severus snapped back, refusing to mention what else Macnair had said that night in the corridor, that perhaps Lily could meet a similar, more horrific end should she not cooperate either.

He watched Walden Macnair's eyes and for the slightest moment could see his mind. He knew Macnair had his suspicions that there was an emotion tying him to Evans. He could see the suspicions that any act of violence against his chosen Gryffindor would result in his own demise. Leaving the mind, Severus kept focused on his eyes, the hard, cold coals searching for weakness.

"Just make sure you're clear on your assignment," Macnair said, keeping his eyes on the stoic Snape. "You have been admitted to The International Potions Corps. Your mission is to convince Lily Evans that the Dark Lord is right in his beliefs of reforming the magical population. You are to convince Lily that her talent will be used for the betterment of the magical community. Above all else, you are to break her spirit. Convince her that if she doesn't cooperate, if for the slightest moment she believes us to be doomed to failure, then in that moment you are to break her. Break her spirit, break her body, break her soul until she is willing to submit to the Dark Lord. Can you do that?"

He gave a curt nod and pulled out his old potions book, skimming along the margins as if doing so will erase the terror that lingered in him at his housemate's words.

"Good, because if you aren't clear enough, I will be," the Servant of Death smirked. "And I tend to break things more than I fix them.

* * *

((*))

* * *

Remus was used to walking up to Gryffindor tower in the dead of night.

For years he had climbed out of the Hospital Wing or the Shrieking Shack on a monthly basis, walking up the constantly moving staircases in solitude. But in recent years, there had always been one or two Marauders near, by means of James' invisibility cloak laughing behind him.

Tonight was different. It was still a half moon; he had been to neither the Shrieking Shack nor the Hospital Wing. Rather he now knew why James had been taken from them that morning at breakfast.

Frank Longbottom and the Prewett brother had finally done it; they had convinced Dumbeldore the Marauders were ready to join the resistance.

He didn't know why Dumbeldore had insisted on seeing them separately. James was interviewed at breakfast, Peter at lunch. Sirius nearly had a heart attack when his summon came before dinner fearing that Dumbeldore had forgotten his stomach and was leading him into a starving evening…_really Sirius, you're adored by the Hogwarts kitchens, even if you do starve we can get them to ready the fires at the drop of a hat._

He was summoned a few hours after Sirius. He had known when James returned it was something important, and when Peter was invited it had to be something all the Marauders were being offered. Remus still couldn't believe it, _the Order. The Order of the Phoenix_. It was real, and next to having real friends, the Order was the realest thing in his world.

"_Salutis"_ Remus mumbled, walking the threshold of the portrait hole. It was near midnight, the common room all but empty save for two people on the couch. He was surprised they were back so soon, but then he remembered the sixth year prefects probably had duty that night. _Still, the fact that they're already asleep is extrodinary…_

_At least theirs some love in the world, _Remus thought, looking at James who was serving as Lily's pillow with slight envy. Her head was safely cradled, and the peaceful look on her face told him where ever she was, it was just her and James in a happy place only they'd know. He saw his friend's hand resting in her hair as if he had been playing with it when he feel into that same state of beautiful, sleeping bliss. _The bloody world could be burning down but these two wouldn't notice as long as the other was near._

Remus gave a slight smile as he turned to head up the stairs to bed. He could suddenly feel his ankle tripping over something, nearly falling on the ground he was able to stop him and look at the paper that had nearly conquered him.

There was a picture he had missed earlier in the day when they read about the Aurora. Normally he never looked passed the cover or obituaries, but on the back where the occasional happy announcements were listed he saw a woman who he doubted had to worry any about the coming storm of darkness.

Remus looked to see a young woman, who was slightly pretty, glaring at the camera though a smile as she stood next to a man who seemed to have a weak smile. A side picture showed a strikingly beautiful witch listed as maid of honor. The fashion editor making ridiculous comments about how beautiful Ms. LeStrage's sleeves of green lace were, how classy and witty the Black sisters had grown, complements of their noble pedigree.

"_Bloody Malfoy and his sister in law…" _he thought to himself, grateful that he would never have the luxury of love. Tossing the paper into the fire, he went to bed, not noticing the stain on Bellatrix skin, carefully covered in her patterns of green lace before it was consumed in the fire.

* * *

AN: For some reason I can see the Society Pages of the Prophet being littered with Bellatrix and Cissy before Bellatrix lost her marbles and landed herself in Azkaban. The original Hilton Sisters? Who knows.

Anyways, you guys know what to do from here. Remember I love reviews and they are brain food when I'm working here at school. The semester's about to pick up as usual, but I'm going to try and update soon. After all, Missing Persons, Death and Orders-it's going to be interesting right? As usual, reviews are welcome as are questions, comments, concerns and out right "what the..."'s.

Hope you enjoyed!~KH


	22. Umbrella

AN: That's right, it took a college semester, royal wedding, the death of a terrorist leader and two weeks for Kait Hobbit to FINALLY update. So I tried making it extra long. My darling readers, can we be friends again?

* * *

Umbrella

* * *

The blazing morning sun summoned James from his slumber. It was too early, the sun should know better than to think it could beckon him from his bed before he willed himself to.

"Moony, the drapes," he moaned, as he attempted to roll away from the offending light source. Something was poking his back, one of the Marauders must have messed with his mattress again. What more, he could feel something resting on his legs. _So help me Padfoot if you're playing sleeping dog again..._he raised his hand to throw Sirius on the floor, debating whether or not now was the time to do the ankle jinx. However, the moment his hand reached down he realized that it wasn't Sirius ratty coat but rather something softer, something sleeker.

Opening his eyes he found he was far from his dormitory; far from his brothers. He and Lily had fallen asleep on the couch of the common room again, which would explain the sharp pain that was pounding in his lower back. Light was filling the room from the eastern windows, hitting directly on Lily's hair giving an edge to her flaming locks. The memories of the night before slowly returned to his awakening mind…

* * *

((*))

* * *

He had meant to tell her about The Order. In fact, that was the reason why he had insisted they gone on a long walk.

"The weather's lovely Lily, and we've only got a bit longer in classes, a twenty minute walk won't kill us," he had said, pulling her away from her Transfiguration book and leading her out of the portrait hole and down the darkened hallway.

"It's nearly eleven and we're going to walk the grounds James?" she asked as she matched her step to his own. "_Technically _that's not allowed…"

"And _technically_ we're Heads," he started, pulling the velvet cloak from his pocket. "What more, we're Heads with an invisibility cloak, and you're with one of the four men who know all the ins and outs of this school. If we even hear that bloody kitten, Flitch won't have a prayer of finding us."

He watched her eyebrows perch in an inquisitive arch. _She knows you're up to something, _he thought _How is it she always knows?_ "I was just being the voice of reason, but…."

"You've finally succumbed to my bad boy persona?" He asked with a wink.

"You wish James," she laughed following him into the Great Hall. It was deserted, as she had expected. Not even the shimmering silver shadow of the Ghosts illuminating the room. Dimmed candles cast off their feeble flames as light from the half moon danced in the rose window. With an equal stride, they approached the doors.

"So tell me wise one, how are we going to open these without making a noise?" She asked skeptically her eyes tracing the ancient wood door.

"Lily, I thought you'd know me better by now," he sighed, waving his wand so one of the majestic panels of the giant doors opened for their departure.

"Do I want to know how you knew how to do that?" Lily asked with raised eyebrows.

"Don't worry, all pranks and passageways were created to do good," _Initially anyway, _he smiled as they entered the grounds. It was a clear night, a peaceful calm over the lake, there wasn't a chill, just a quiet calm, the occasional note of a lingering Mermaid's sonata dancing in the air.

Taking Lily's hand, he felt warm and whole. _Even if she loses her head for not getting in The Order, she'll be after Dumbledore's blood, not yours,_ he thought to himself, hoping that was true, as he navigated her towards the tree he and the others usually sat under, just on the perch of the lakeside.

"So what did you need to tell me that couldn't wait till we were out here," Lily asked, leaning her back against the trunk, her eyes still locked on his as he shifted closer to her. _Damn it! She knows, how does she always know?_

"What are you talking about? Can't a Gryffindor lad take his Gryffindor lass for a law breaking night out?" he asked feebly.

"Just because you can doesn't mean that you would," she answered, "Our nights out usually involve strolls we've been scheduled by the school, usually along dismal corridors not lakeside trees. The only time you've taken me for a night out was Hogsmeade and if I remember right, I wanted to hex you for leaving me in a forest with Death Eater recruits…."

"False, I took you out after your sister's wedding remember?" He admonished. "So take back that little bit that I am an awful suitor."

"Fine, then this is very romantic," she sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. _She's in a good mood, _he thought, _why spoil it, but if you don't tell her, and she weasels it out of Peter, or worse, if Moony ups and tells her…_

"What if I did have something I needed to tell you? Would that kill the romantic mood?" He asked, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer to him, he could feel her frame laughing as she leaned into his shoulders.

"I suppose I can let this slide," she answered. "What is it?"

_Dumbledore has a resistance and it's men only-I'm fighting Voldy Wart with the Ministry and the Resistance… My life expectancy took a turn for the worst today… Lily, we have to end this before you become a widow..._

"I went and spoke to Dumbledore this morning before you arrived at breakfast," he started, "That's why you didn't see me. Called me in for a little chat."

"What did he have to say?" She asked, looking up at him. "Have you ousted the Prewett brothers for pranks and they want to know what metal you'd prefer your statue?"

"No," he chuckled as his thumbs did absent minded circles around her shoulder, "What's with you Lily, you're happier than you normally are..."

He half expected her to shake her head, straighten up or pull a face, but she stayed content on his shoulder. "I'm just enjoying the calm before the storm," she answered simply. "You're my umbrella James, the minute we leave I'm going to need to learn to walk in the storm again."

"So you're getting rid of the umbrella in the end, is this your two weeks notice?" he asked, half jokingly while the other half of him seemed to seize in, his revelation nothing compared to if she was thinking of, _no, she couldn't be...I was joking about the widow thought! I need her, I can't do either without her... Something would work out…We could work something out..._

She lifted her head, " I knew you were going to say something like that," she sighed, turning her view to the lake and then back to him. "What I meant was, you're my umbrella James. You keep me safe and trying and keep the storm, You-Know-Who, Death Eaters, Muggle attacks, away from me," she rested her hand gingerly on his knee. "I have to face the storm and so do you after Hogwarts and we'll probably be apart when that happens. Geographically, I didn't mean otherwise."

_Yes, about that…._

"So what did Dumbledore have to say, if it wasn't about your statue?" She asked, waiting for his reply. "Anything new? Did he have a message from the Prewetts? Frank?"

_He's putting your umbrella on the front lines, _no, don't tell her that. _He said he'd consider Evans, there's no reason to get her up in arms about this, She doesn't need to worry about this quiet yet...Dumbledore would be a fool if he overlooked her..._

"He wanted to tell me I got into the program," James said with a smile, "Apparently my application looked good enough, I go into the Academy June 21st."

"That's fantastic," she said, leaning in and kissing his cheek. Her eyes showing that her mind was already starting to turn wheels. "That's only a few weeks from now, have you told your parent's yet? Training is six months, so you'll be in Training Camp till Christmas, but they need Auror's so you will probably have graduated by this time next year, they won't be picky—you're smart enough you'll pass all tests the first time; even if they make you go two years..."

He cut her off by putting his lips to hers, as though doing so he could cut off her verbal knowledge of the next couple months. He didn't want to hear about the guaranteed six months he wouldn't see his friends, family or, more importantly, her. He didn't want to hear her try and be positive that everything would be perfect and they'd work things out. He just needed her. The feeling on her skin against his own, the tantalizing feeling of her fingers wrapped behind his neck as his pulled her deeper into him. He needed this. Lily's embrace could melt the world away, No bad news needed to be delivered, there was no other Order for him to join than her. He may be her umbrella but she was his lighthouse carrying him across the storming waters.

"You know, I was going to give you one of those if you'd let me finish," Lily said as she pulled away, resting her forehead against his own.

"Girls talk to much sometimes," he replied with an impish grin. "Come on, let's head back," he said as he pulled her up on her feet.

* * *

((*))

* * *

They had made it up the staircases and passageways, all without having to pull out the cloak. She wanted to talk about the news more, and they had sat on the couch initially, his lap soon turning into her pillow as they talked, relishing in their last few days together before the storm.

It was now in the morning sunlight he realized that he probably should have told her; he couldn't guess how, but he knew that _when _she found out she would be able to track down to the day when he had been invited and she hadn't. The vengeance of Lily, he had learned over seven years of being on the other end of it, was not were a person wanted to be.

He looked down at her and realized for the first time she didn't seem peaceful in sleep, but her eye brows were strained as though she was trying to knit them together, her lips in a sleep drawn frown.

"Lily are you up?" He asked, twirling a curl of her fire hair and using it to tickle her nose. "It's time to get up," he whispered looking at the clock, the first years would be heading down soon.

Suddenly, her eyes flew up open and her hand clasped itself to his wrist in a clammy death grip. "Are you ok Evans?" He asked alarmed. "Lily are you alright? Bad dream?"

"Something like that," she muttered, more to herself than him. He watched her eyes frantically feed on his torso as though she thought she'd see something else, then in an almost hunger the emeralds traveled across his face, relief flooding as she realized whatever calamity she had envisioned it was false.

"Lily you're acting like you've seen ghosts, what was it?" He asked again alarmed. " What did you dream? It was a nightmare, everything's ok."

"Sirius," Lily said, sitting up at his side, her hand against her temples, "Sirius had gone to a muggle finishing school and we met him walking down Diagon Alley with a top hat and bow tie asking how we were doing on this jolly day…."

He laughed, not knowing whether on not he should believe her, but the fact that Sirius was seen, even in a dream, dressed up like a high born monkey in a penguin suit was either comical or a nightmare. _I'll let you keep your secret this time, _he thought, not wanting to push the subject anymore. Her eyes had been close to tears when she first woke up, it was too early in the morning too cry.

"Don't worry, I can assure you _that _dream won't come true," he said, wrapping his arm around her, drawing her close, before being interrupted by the pitter patter of shoes running down the girls stair case, stopping any further action.

"Lily! Merlin, I wake up and you're still out! James, she may be your girlfriend, but she was mine first so if you could let me see my best friend that would be great-..." Vera McKinnon started, her tone warning that this could be an on edge day. "Come on Lily, we need to go, St. Mungo's Owls arrive today!"

"Are you serious? Today?" Lily asked, her dream miles away from her as she now realized the parchment that would be waiting for her at the table. "Yes, today. Come on, let's go now and we can come back and charm our make-up on later," Vera insisted, taking her friend by the wrist and pulling her out the door. "See you at breakfast," Vera called out as Lily gave a sympathetic smile and disappeared behind her friend.

* * *

((*))

* * *

"So," Vera started in a near singsong voice, still pulling Lily by the arm in a double step to the Great Hall. Lily didn't know just how to react.

"So what?" She asked, attempting to take a safer route, it was too early in the morning for tempers to flare.

"So are you going to tell me _why_ I didn't see you in the morning or am I to let my imagination run amuck? Honestly Lily, what am I to think when I wake up, you're not there and I find you snuggled on the couch with Potter?" She sighed as they made their way down the stairs.

"Vera, it's nothing. Just James, we had to talk last night…" Although she still had a feeling it was something more than just his Auror Acceptance. She knew he was hiding something from her, just as much as she knew she had lied to him about the reoccurring nightmare of everyone dead in the forest. _No reason to soil his day with that, he'd either dismiss it or think I've jumped off the deep end...which is possible..._

"What ever you say Lily," Vera sighed, "At least I haven't walked in on you two snogging, that might just do me in. Is he as good a snuggler as he is a kisser?"

Withholding the desire to hex her, Lily made note to encourage Sirius to rekindle their relationship. Vera would still be witty, but her remarks would be directed toward him and not Lily. He owed Lily, and she knew that he would be better off for it. Vera as well. She doubted their relationship would last long after Hogwarts; Vera was more driven then him, and Sirius had once had the dream of his own bar with ladies on his side-but at the moment she didn't know of two people that needed each other as much as Vera and Sirius. Sirius brought out Vera's plucky side where Vera had the ability to keep the Gryffindor Prankster somewhat in check. _Yes, once you've gotten the letter that will change the course of your life, you have the God given right to meddle in other people's,_ she told herself, _If Vera was you Fairy-Meddlesome Godmother, you can return the favor even if the spell breaks when they say good-bye on the platform. _

When the two girls got to the Hall with it's four long tables, Lily realized that Vera was right, today was indeed the day that the letters of acceptance to any of the Ministry Offices would be mailed out. The Seventh Years, normally among the last to arrive for breakfast, peppered the tables, a few girls from Hufflepuff looking as though they were going to jump with all their jitters while a few from Slytherin looked as though this 'Vocation' business was just a road bump meant to mature them into their inheritances.

"So Plan B if I don't get in, I'm going to be a Muggle receptionist," Vera said evenly as she looked up at the windows, waiting for the chorus of hooting owls. "I'll marry someone who has an inheritance of gold coming and I'll just become a Muggle receptionist, its not hard right? You just answer the fellytone, and…."

"Vera, you're going to get in," Lily chided, rubbing her friends back in support, "Don't worry, you won't have to marry for gold, you'll be so successful if you wanted to be a spinster you could afford it."

"Promise me Lil, if neither of us get in," she struggled for a minute, "Promise me that you'll help me mix pick-me-ups at the Leaky Cauldron? I always supposed if I couldn't be a Healer, I could be a pretty descent barmaid. And barmaids don't end up being spinsters."

"If you can't marry for gold, the ministry rejects you, then yes, I'll be a barmaid with you," Lily said with a laugh. _Perhaps getting Sirius and Vera back together won't be that hard..._

It was the cries of two Hufflepuff girls that drew their attention to the windows. In sprang a fleet of small silver owls that resembled snitches in their speed, and also their unpredictability. For Lily, she was reminded of bows and arrows from a Robin Hood play her family had attended when she was young, the arrows of the owls speeding dangerously, dropping envelopes with purple ribbons into oatmeals and pumpkin juice before they disappeared through the window.

"Omf!" Her friend cried, grabbing her letter before it fell into a third years porridge next to her, "Bloody owls, you'd think the Ministry would have some with better aim."

"You'd think," Lily replied, brushing the toast crumbs from her own letter. The dark purple letter and crest of St. Mungo's weighed think in her hands. _It's the Potions Research Institute, you'd be doing something, and you'd be making a difference..._

_"_On the count of three then?" Vera asked, Her eyes wide as though she was thinking the same thing, the long awaited letter now heavy in her hands. "Vera, really we're going to do this?"

A smile seemed to tug at the corners of the weary face. "Oh come on, we're grown ups after we open these letters, why not leave childhood in a bang?"

"We're not children Ver…."

"One-two-" her friend started, ignoring her remark, Lily's thumb breaking the seal."Best of Luck Vera," she grinned, as she opened her letter,

_"" Dear Miss Evans, Thank you for your interest at continuing your education and becoming a potioneer for the betterment of your fellow wizards and witches. After reading your application and reviewing recommendation letters, We are Pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into the St. Mungo's Potions Research Institute..."_

She didn't have to ask Vera what her letter said, the sigh of relief and scream was convincing enough that Vera would not have to become a marry for gold, make hangover cocktails, nor would she be a receptionist-unless it was one at the famed Wizard Hospital.

"Lily we did it!" Vera cried, leaning and laughing into her best friends shoulder as Lily joined. Lily joined, glad that it was finally over, that the NEWTs, the stress, the late nights and the moments where she felt she was going to fall apart, that didn't matter now. She opened her eyes and looked down the table, seeing James as he entered the room.

He had gone upstairs to change his shirt, but his hair was still even more bedridden then when she had left him. The starting signs of a five o'clock shadow was creeping on his face, and the way the sun hit his silver rimmed glasses, electrified his eyes.

When those electric eyes hit her own, when his face registered she had got in, and how happy he was for her, nothing else mattered. It didn't matter that she was accepted into one of the most prestigious programs in the country because she realized that without him, she would not feel that electrifying thrill that came from his eyes, his smile. She knew she'd still have that feeling of rush even if she hadn't been accepted.

She realized, watching him walk towards her, that she was no longer the little girl who came to Hogwarts seven years ago, the one who despised his existence. She was leaving a grown woman, who found herself thankful he existed and cared so deeply for him. Soon she'd be leaving Hogwarts. Soon she'd be doing her bit for Wizarding society. Soon she'd be willing to fight the Darkness that would threaten to take James from her.

Suddenly the world seemed like it'd be a much scarier place without him. Suddenly the world seemed to be on the brink of falling apart if they drew apart as Vera and Sirius had. Suddenly her heart seemed as though it would fall apart if they just said farewell at the train station, and didn't see each other until twelve years later when they brought two different families to the platform to see their different children off. Suddenly the months they'd be separated under the Auror academy seemed like a death sentence, nothing seemed so perfect as the thought of him and her, together through it all.

"You got in, I knew you would," he said, pulling her into his arms, resting his chin on top of her head as though he was planting a flag in her curls. " When do you go in?"

"Just a week after you," she smiled. Still held in James' arms, her eye caught view of Professor Slughorn in his emerald robes looking down at the two of them as though they were the most curious and delightsome sight from above his cereal. _You're going to have to tell him you're not going to Switzerland,_ she realized. _You're going to have to let him down…_

"James, d'you think we could practice some transfiguration after breakfast?" Lily asked, breaking away from his arms. He started dishing up two plates. "James, I'm not eating all those hash browns—and put back all that fruit—"

"You were peaky this morning when you woke up, let me feed you dear," he said rolling his perfect eyes. "What more, You just got into the program of your dreams and you want to practice transfiguration? Lily…. You're not becoming delirious are you?"

"It's for a friend," she said, as she brushed some of her hash browns to Peter's plate. "Please?"

A second helping of hash browns where laid on her plate as he gave a nod, a shadow of a smile on his mouth as he told her "After you finish you're breakfast."

* * *

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AN: I think one of the terms and conditions Authors on FF should agree to is "I will not go one an hiatus for x amount of months". Well, Hiatus is over (temporarily). I ended another year of school (huzzah!) and have four months before term starts again….I have a few things which I should admit to now:

1. At the end of my college semester, I watched Disney's 'Tangled for the first time.' Ok, Flynn Rider? That is Sirius Black in Cartoon, In Love form. Please, let there be someone out there that agrees with me. Can I get an Amen?

2. I have four friends getting married this summer (and just finished a reception tonight),so naturally, I'm doodling wedding dresses when I'm not writing and

3. Girls- you know that feeling you get when you watch so many romantic movies and you just want to go out and fall in love? Yup. I've been in that mood for a while now—blame William and Kate for that…

And because of this, James and Lily must suffer my romantic wrath. Don't worry, I pray it'll be short lived too. Thanks so much for reading! Remember to leave a review, praise or hellfire, I've missed you guys so much and It's going to be a great summer!-kh,


	23. Murmurs in the Night

D: Characters are Prop. of JKR

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Murmurs in the Night

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The half-moon illuminated the grounds, improving James' night vision. He knew that it was late and that he'd have to drink something strong in the morning that would keep him awake for the graduation ceremony and other festivities. But tonight was the last night he and his friends would be at Hogwarts as students, so naturally it was only common sense that he and his friends would wander the grounds till three in the morning.

Normally the grounds were their very own, except for tonight. The freedom of summer had tempted a few students, bringing them out of their common rooms and leading them to the grounds. It was common knowledge that Prefects and the Heads would not have the usual patrol duties the last night of the year following the feast and awarding of the House Cup. Professors, as Slughorn said, "We have our own Vacation Trunks to pack" rather than wander the halls for miscreants.

It had actually been Sirius that suggested the idea for tonight. "As Head Boy, its your _duty_ to address their violation," he said slyly as he dug through James' trunk to get the cloak for Remus. "They'll just have to face the wrath of the Marauders."

"Since when did the Marauder's become the justice league for Hogwarts rules?" Remus asked, catching the cloak. "If memory serves me right, we have a combined detention rate that should get us a plaque in the trophy room and I think we've broken _nearly _every rule."

"It's the last night, don't spoil my fun Moony. Worm's with me right Pete?" Sirius asked looking at his friend who was dissecting his licorice wand. "Right, right-" Peter grinned, "Come on James, be the Marauder you've been for six years-" Sirius asked, his eyes already transforming to their dog like begging.

And wander they had. Although there weren't as many people as Sirius had hoped, sneaking across the grounds, there had been an impressive number. Amanda Bones and her boyfriend had been caught saying a passionate farewell to one another on the banks of the Black Lake-which had been interrupted by Peter in rat form, running up Arrow Wood's arm and down his back, causing the younger Wood brother to break from the embrace and scream in a less masculine manner while Amanda began accusing him of insanity among other things.

More memorable was Sirius chasing three girls from Ravenclaw around the grounds, _"It's the Grim! It's the Grim!" " Ophelia I'm going to drown you in the lake, that's the bloody grim!" "Why did you make us come out here Lena?" _were the chorus that encouraged Sirius on his chase, abandoning them after the girls hid in the reeds by the lake. James knew Sirius-he didn't want to risk getting caught by something in the lake. It was easier to escape a grindelow as a human than it was as a dog and he was not taking his chances.

But the last of the students had disappeared into the castle long ago. Under the cover of the cloak, Remus was playing 'Fetch' with Sirius as he and Peter stood on the outskirts of the forest. They had discussed going down into Hogsmede, but with many parents staying in town, they didn't want to risk too much. Especially in case they ran across a certain Muggle family he knew was staying at the inn.

* * *

((*))

* * *

_"Do you get to see you're parents tonight?" Lily asked as they walked up from Dinner following Gryffindor's victorious House Cup Celebration. "Vera and I are going to visit Mum and Dad-You can come if you like-"_

_"I don't know if you recall, but your dad on occasion acts as though he'd like to kill me," he had responded. Perhaps it was because she knew he was serious, but Lily laughed. "Don't worry. So long as your name isn't Vernon Dursley, Dad won't kill you," she winked._

_"You go ahead, spend time with your parents-they don't get much 'Just Lily' time," he said, hoping that would keep him safe from meeting up with the Evanses again. Sirius had made it clear that this night was to be a Maurader's night and Lily couldn't interfere. _

"_Alright," Lily answered. "But you could still take a carriage with us, surely your parents want 'James time.' Aren't you headed to the village to see them?"_

_"Nah, Mum and Dad don't get in town till tomorrow morning," he answered, slightly bumping her hip playfully. "I need to pack and head to bed early," he lied, opening the portrait hole and offering his hand to help her through the hole. _

_She looked in his eyes as she put her hand in his. Raising an eyebrow a smirk grew across her face in a classic Lily manner, "You know, I am capable of getting in myself Potter."_

"_It's been nearly seven years, you'd think you'd have grown accustomed to Gryffindor chivalry," James chuckled, following her into the Portrait hole. "Have fun with your parents-but be ready, my mum's probably going to try and get you tomorrow after the ceremony. She may look small but she can knock you down if you're not prepared."_

_"Sounds a lot like her son," Lily smiled, squeezing his hand gently before disappearing up the stairs to find Vera._

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((*))

* * *

It was getting rather late, and the slightest thought of Dorea Potter and the festivities she had arranged for the next few weeks terrified him. _If we leave now, I can get at least three hours of sleep-_He kept his eyes on his friend, the floating stick being waved before being thrown for Sirius. _He should make the transformation bloody permanent. _Sirius was always happier on all fours than he ever was on two legs...

The young stag turned his attention to his other side view and then he noticed _them. _

Three hooded figures whisked from the direction of the castle, flying towards the forest. While it was tradition for someone to try and sneak into the forest following the end of the House Cup, the pranksters were typically young amateurs, and these figures appeared to be older. Their speed implied they knew what they were doing. Suddenly, one of the hoods flew off, revealing the pale-lit figure of Regulus Black.

James looked back to Sirius and Remus, both of them had missed it, but blindly content with their fun on a calm summer's night. However squeaking underneath him, he saw Peter, who had obviously witnessed the same thing that he had. _Follow them, I'll follow you, _he motioned, tilting his antlers. Though not fast as a human, Peter was rather speedy as a rat, crawling under fallen tree limbs and logs while his tail, long and white. He may not be the noblest animal out of the three animagi, but at least he was easy for James to follow in the dark forest as he made the powerful strides behind his friend.

Over the rocks, he followed Peter deeper and deeper into the forest. They hadn't traveled this far since the early days of their nighttime wanderings. _What are these three doing this far this late? _

Nearing the figures, Peter stopped and tucked himself next to James' side. His beady, Rat eyes evaluating the three who were now joined by a newer, just as menacing one.

The scene was made eerier in the darkness of the night. The three hoods formed a triangle in front of the new one. The hood removed to reveal an annoyed Lucius Malfoy, who looked as though by now he had wished to be more than a messenger in the Dark Lord's army.

From his view, James supposed that it was Regulus in the middle, flanked by Snape and Macnair on either side. The meeting glowed in the moonlight, the shadows of the forest implying sinister nature, as though cuing the wickedness of this meeting. It was a mirror of the same meeting James had witnessed in the fall. _Try not to get shot this time,_ he thought, watching the hood of Severus Snape fall, Snape's expression cold in the night beams.

"What news from the Dark Lord?" Regulus asked, clearing a stray hair that had blocked his eye.

"The Dark Lord is not pleased, Black," Malfoy sighed, taking off his dragon hinde gloves, and stuffing back a yawn. _Apparently killing muggles as they sleep take a lot of energy out of a murderer, _James thought with disgust as he looked on.

"Do any of you have the slightest idea why?" Malfoy asked as he glared at the three.

"We're family now Lucius, please call me Reg" he smiled, his voice slightly higher, _A reaction that he's afraid?_ James thought. _What have you gotten yourself in for this time Reggie? Can daddy get you out of this mess when the time comes?_

"This isn't a family matter," the Death Eater dismissed coldly, " You'll realize soon that there _is_ no family, Black. There is only shared allegiance toward the Dark Lord. Now tell me, what was the charge I gave you at the start of last October?" He asked, cold and sharp, as though his words were daggers to pierce the new recruits. "The Dark Lord desired you to recruit your classmates to our cause. We gave you a license to do anything but kill. You could've blackmailed, brainwashed, used unforgiveables and yet who have you recruited?"

"No one," Regulus answered, his head bowed down in shame, an unfamiliar sight for James who had often seen Regulus get away with anything on his visits at Sirius' house. Shame was something Blacks didn't go through and yet here Regulus seemed to be submitting himself to it.

"Malfoy, I've tried, I have made efforts," Macnair announced, stepping forward from Regulus side. "I've persuaded Titus Ernest and Gaia Costas to meet with Bellatrix Lestrange. They're under the impression that Mrs. LeStrange will give them advice and connections in the Ministry before they start their programs but really she's going to Imperious them so we have spies—both of them are in the Department of International Trade," he blurted quickly, as though he didn't want to be linked to the empty efforts. "I'm planning on talking with Allison Diggory and Heather Brown tomorrow after the Ceremony for a similar meeting—Diggory's accepted an apprenticeship with the International Department of the Ministry and Heather's older brother is thought to be in the resistance—"

James watched in horror as Malfoy's lip curled with satisfaction. "Thank you Macnair-the Dark Lord will be pleased with this, you will be rewarded" he nodded, "Very pleased; but those weren't the names we discussed last time. Severus," the Death Eater asked with haughtiness in his voice, "What can you tell me about our possible Gryffindor recruits? A loyal and brave bunch they are—can we count on their Loyalty aligning with our own?"

"I don't believe we'll find many recruits from Gryffindor," Severus answered, his expressions steady as stone. _Damn right you won't, _James thought, trying to keep calm behind the trees in his Stag form. Peter was lying quiet on the ground, and he must have been listening as closely as he was, his velvety ears perched up attentively as beady eyes locked on the Death Eater…

"But didn't you say you thought _some _could be persuaded? What do we know about Potter and his gang? Regulus had mentioned they were a talented group, would be profitable to the Dark Lord—"

_Over my cold, dead corpse-_

"James Potter is to enter the Auror Academy this summer," Severus said, almost gleefully, "With a career choice like that, I believe that we can eliminate him. He will never be—"

_At least you have that right Severus;_ James glared, his hoofs digging into the rich earth. _This is their plan? Break the stubborn wills and get them to align with their ideology? _ Did the Death Eaters think the resistant fighters could be persuaded so easily?

"Careful," Malfoy cut him off, "The Dark Lord will decide about that; Black?"

"No plans, "Regulus glared, looking as though he desired to spit on the memory of his still living brother. "He will be with my Uncle Avard or the Potters after graduation—once again, he will prove as much a challenging recruit as he can. Lupin is reportedly a candidate for a Ministry, but something's not right with him—They're starting him in the Department of Centaur liaisons—so he'll be out of a job in a few months... he'll be difficult, but if we offer enough money, we'd at least get our foot in the door."

"And the short one? Peter?"

It was one thing for James to hear them talk about himself and his friends who he knew were enjoying themselves not far away, But Peter was right there. Would he want to react when they discussed recruiting him? What would Wormtail do? _He's calmer than you James; he'll not want to react as badly—_

"His mother's a traditionalist—one of the older Pureblood lines—he and a few others are going on a tour of the world before he enters the work place—He'd be valuable, loads of Gold but he needs his friends or he's pretty much a loaf. Potter and Black are the ideal set. They'd either benefit us or the enemy."

"Good, good," The senior member muttered, each world racing James's heart. More Gryffindor names: Frank Longbottom, The Prewett Brothers ("A lost cause just like Potter and Black"), Vera-although they really were after brother Orion and sister-in-law Marlene, and then there was Alice Livesely, Frank's long time love.

"Perhaps we could persuade her to persuade him? Or we could use her as a bartering chip?" Macnair had suggested and James recoiled, he could easily see this tactic being used with Lily under threat and he would-he couldn't imagine that... There was one name more, one more name that he hoped would be overlooked, but the one he heard as soon as he thought of her, " What of Evans?"

The three hoods stood in an uneasy silence, one hood in particular acted as though the air in the forest had gotten particularly thick and pressing on him in all directions "We've heard differing reports She's been accepted into two different programs-one in Switzerland which I am to attend, but she's also accepted into a St. Mungo Program."

"We'll have to station someone in that program," Lucius declared. "I will not be light when I say that the Dark Lord intends to have those that are talented and will benefit his cause. And those that choose not to comply, choose death."

_Then Lily's death sentence is set in stone just as much as mine is, _a voice seemed to whisper in his ear. Tomorrow they were set to leave Hogwarts, to begin their lives. Now, standing in the forest, he realized they had a limited amount of hours at the safest place in the country. The moment they left Kings Cross, that protection would end. The storm would return and return in full force. He, his friends, and the girl he cared about more than anything in the world, would be out in a world where they could either comply with the enemy-or die. And he knew _all_ would rather choose death...

"Is there anything more you would have us do?" Regulus asked in near reverence.

"Nothing more tonight-but remember, it would be in your best interest to recruit a few more before you yourselves are branded-but till then, don't do anything stupid."

As though Peter could sense the meeting was dwindling down, and that the image of a rat and stag staring at their circle wouldn't seem suspicious, James followed Peter out of the forest. Blood rushing to his head, pounding in his ears as his hoofs pounding thunderously into the earth. _They're after Padfoot. They're after Wormtail and Moony. They're after Lily. They're bloody well after Lily and Dumbledore won't let her in his Order-_he fumed. _No, I'm not loosing her, not to them. _

"James!" Remus called as he emerged from the forest, his voice faint compared to James' own thoughts. "We've been looking for you and Wormtail everywhere, what's going on?"

"We ran into some people," Peter answered, having transformed, "We saw Snape, Reg and Macnair come out of the castle and followed them—thought we'd see what they were up to at this hour and—"

"And they're starting a new recruitment campaign," James barked, brushing some dust from his jacket, "Join or die. Hold on—" he paused, looking over Moony's shoulders, "Where's Sirius?"

"Behind you, as always," a familiar voice piped, James turning around to see his friend, a sober seriousness pulling at the corners of his mouth. "Not that I'm one for hiding, but if my fool of a brother and his irksome friends are out and about, shouldn't we get under the cloak so they still think they have the veil of secrecy?"

"Pete, d'you think you could transform again? There isn't room for four of us—" Remus started as he shoved his elbow, accidently, up into James' stomach. "But why do I have to?"

"Because when I see my brother and his friends as a human I have to restrain myself from wanting to attack them. Could you imagine me as a dog? And James can't transform as he turns into the Bloody Prince of the forest and Remus—well, it's not his time of the month—'

"Padfoot," Remus quipped; the banter had been enough for Peter who was half way to the secret passage behind the Herbology gardens while James, Sirius and Remus shuffled less quietly behind him.

"What's all this about Prongs?" Sirius muttered, "Has Reggie finally got himself in to deep?"

"He's getting there," James said coolly, "He's definitely bought into whatever your cousin's told him."

"For his sake I hope he got a good receipt that doesn't include a headstone—" his friend echoed half-heartedly.

* * *

((*))

* * *

"So what did the Death Eaters talk about exactly?" Remus asked once they had gotten back into the castle. The empty corridor they were in was on the opposite side of the castle from the Slytherin common room—surely they'd already be back. What more the corridor connecting the secret exit to the charms classroom seemed just as save a place than any to share what James and Peter had over heard.

"They're after us—each and every one of us," James confirmed as he opened the door and headed down an eerie hall. "Part of becoming a Death Eater must be recruiting others—Lucius Malfoy was there, and he said-"

"He said the Dark Lord wanted the best and if they couldn't be persuaded there's no place for them other then six feet under," Peter squeaked, his hair looking like hay against his pale skin, the usual rosy color absent from his cheeks.

"What's their game plan?" Remus asked, trying to keep his face composed. "Did you guys hear any of that?"

James told most of it. How Macnair was planning on impreriousing four graduating students, how Snape was to go to Switzerland—assumedly with Lily—in order to persuade her into the Death Eater cause, How the rest of the Marauders—

"They're going to try and get me at the Ministry?" Remus asked wide-eyed, Peter and James having not been completely honest with the details surrounding Remus. He had been so excited when he at _last_ had been accepted into a Ministry Program—there was no reason to spoil it by saying he'd be out of work within six months.

"Guess I better tell my Uncle to be careful," Sirius whistled. In a grave voice James had rarely heard Sirius use, he looked at them and said "We better have someone from the order keep an eye on St. Mungos—if they have eyes in the Ministry, there has to be some at the hospital—we can't let anything happen to the girls."

An eerie silence fell upon the four brothers. It was as though one of them had died, but they hadn't realized who quiet yet. The possibility of _any _of their deaths, although very real, was still not a real thought. How could sarcastic Sirius be chosen to die? Or the Brilliant Remus? Who could find it just that James, who was finally courting Lily, might be found dead one fall morning? Who would not shed a tear at optimistic, loyal Peter's grave?

"You should probably go talk to Dumbledore," Remus sighed, cutting the silence with his words. "He'd want to know this—it's good counter intelligence for the Order."

"It's nearly five in the morning," Sirius groaned, "He's probably in bed like most people. Can't we just tell him tomorrow—or later today?"

"As Head Boy you can go to the Head Master or Head Mistress at any time," Moony counseled, opening the door as they began their trek to Gryffindor tower, not far from their hide away. "Although what our alibi for being out late will be I don't know, but you have a gift for lying on the spot."

'Oh and then there's that bit of _how _Peter and I were so close we were able to listen to all of this without being killed. Who'd you rather face right now Pete? Death Eaters or McGonagall?"

"Answer wisely, Mr. Pettigrew," a voice muttered from the darkness, "_Lumos," _the tip of Minerva McGonagall's wand illuminated her face, her chestnut and silver hair covered by her nightcap. With her tight-lipped face, she resembled a nun, and even more, a nun that had been crossed.

* * *

((*))

* * *

"Nothing, _Nothing_ gives a student the right to walk the halls at night," Minerva McGonagall sighed rubbing her temples as she looked at the four boys sitting on the other side of her desk. "You four—why is it always you four?" _Only a few more hours and they're not students anymore…. only four more hours and you _don't _have to play disciplinarian. _

"What if we had information about future Death Eaters and You- Know-Who?" Sirius asked gleefully, as though he believed this was the key to turning Minerva's mood. "Come on. That seems to be a good excuse, right?"

"A very good excuse," she said casually, as she opened her drawer and, after shuffling a few things aside, and pulled out a thick file which she promptly put on the desk and flipped opening with her wand.

"Is she looking up medieval ways to torture us?" Peter asked, his eyes having shied away after she opened the drawer. "If she was going to torture us, she would've sent us to Flitch—McG's soft, she's just going to give us a moral lesson…."Lupin whispered back before being interrupted by the sleep weary professor.

"Ah, Here it is—" she yawned, " 'On 16 March 1972, S. Black and J. Potter report being out of bed in order to 'Protect Gryffindor House from Dark Wizards—'"

"Wait—is that our first year? Gryffindor was up for the finals in the Quidditch Cup. Slytherin right?" James asked, pushing his luck. "Come on, The cup was on the line—Anyone who would try and take a member of the team down was Dark Wizard threat?"

"I remember, you had poor Zaquill Spinnit hexed accidently if I remember right—"

Mc Gonagall answered with a nostoligic look in her eyes, short lived, and then her report continued.

"2 October, same year, S. Black and R. Lupin, with suspected third party, out of bed. Black and Lupin claim to have been looking for Lucius Malfoy who had been displaying odd and suspicious behavior—just so you know we did a search on Malfoy and he was clear—"

Sirius snorted, "At the time…"

"28 November 1973- J. Potter, R. Lupin, S. Black and P. Pettigrew out of bed tracking who was also out of bed—claims he was participating in dark magic—turned up to be a Potions assignment."

"Dark Magic if you ask me," Sirius glared, looking down the list. McGonagall ignored him as she continued. " 14 March 1974, J. Potter, S. Black, P. Pettigrew and R. Lupin out of bed—allegedly following Bellatrix Black who was trying to communicate with "Dark Wizards"'

"If you knew Belly the way I know her, anyone she talks to can be considered Dark," Sirius interceded. "I don't think she's going to stop," Peter muttered.

"5 January 1975-J. Potter, , S. Black and P. Pettigrew out of bed following F. and G. Prewett also out of bed, all claiming to be looking for dark wizards…6 September 1976, R. Lupin and J. Potter out of bed following S. Snape—meeting with the Dark Lord's agents…3 October 1977 J. Potter and L. Evans report seeing Death Eater activity in the forest— and now 6 June 1978— how would you like me to put it? Mind you this is the last entry you'll have in the book, anything in particular you'd like?"

"Professor Mc Gonagall, did you make this scrapbook of all our activities because you're going to miss us so?" Sirius asked, looking at the stack of papers and noticing his initials dotting the top as though Professor McGongall had a schoolgirl fancy on him. "McG, if I knew this was going to be so hard, I would have tried to fail some classes."

Her hands returned to her temples, "I'll get by somehow." Picking up her quill she scribbled something along the back of the sheet, dating it and returning the folder to its home in her desk. "There is nothing I can do to discipline you, but circumstances have it that we will continue to see one another. So, if you would, respect an old woman's nerves and go to bed. Or at least the tower."

"Wait—what circumstances are you talking about Professor?" Lupin asked confused, "Are you leaving Hogwarts as well?"

"No Mr. Lupin," she said, "But Dumbledore has told me that you four will join us in the Order; so please don't do anything in the next few hours that would make me hold a grudge against you star pupils."

"Then you have to believe us," James said, the desire to share the news they had gained hours before burning within him. "Just now, Snape, Black and Macnair were in the forest meeting with Malfoy—Macnair's going to have four graduates the controlled by Bellatrix Lestrange—"

"They're also planning on trying to either recruit or kill a fair chunk of Gryffindor alumnus," Peter said in a shaky voice. "Prewetts, Bones, Frank Longbottom, Vera and her family," his eyes looking over at James, "The four of us and Lily Evans."

James watched as the wheels turned behind McGonagall's iron rimmed spectacles. "We'll need to alert the Headmaster immediately," she said sternly. "Luckily for us, everyone you listed is associated with our organization, we'll be able to alert them and keep them safe. We've all chosen this course, and we will all stick to it."

"There's only one problem," James said, hoping that perhaps McGonagall would see what Dumbledore had overlooked. "Lily Evans isn't in the Order."

"That's preposterous, I recommended her," she said, her lips clenched as though she was offended James had said such a thing.

"And I argued her case—Dumbledore told me she wasn't in the order of the Phoenix, nor was an invitation being extended to her."

"Did he now," she said, more to herself than to the four boys still about her desk. She rose from her chair, standing with an authoritative aura about her." Well, I'll make sure to discuss _that_ with the Headmaster as well; Don't worry Mr. Potter, I'll see to it that Miss Evans is taken care of."

In his seven years at Hogwarts, James thought he had seen the full spectrum of Minerva McGonagall's emotions. Never had he seen her this angry—this betrayed.

"Nearly a hundred years old, you think he'd know better—"she mumbled as she started walking towards the door. She continued mumbling to herself until she realized they weren't following her. "You four, do you want to tell the Headmaster what you saw or not?"

Whatever chance they had of sleeping was gone. James could see the pink rays of morning on the horizon. _At least McGonagall's on our side, _he thought as he followed her towards the Griffin Statue, _At least someone else believes Lily's in danger._

"What do you think McG's going to do?" Peter asked him they started up the staircase, his voice a church mouse' whisper.

"I don't know, but I'm not jealous of Dumbledore at the moment," Sirius muttered, as McGonagall knocked on the door and they entered the Headmaster's apartment. "Seven years with McG's wrath, I don't envy the man at all."

* * *

AN: And I don't envy Albus either. I love Minerva McGonagall. Really I do. She's so tough, but she has her soft spots...

I know I said I was going to wrap up Hogwarts in less than Three chapters- but I can't let go fo this castle! And then a wizard graduation? I only know an American Grad- how do you do a british one? and then spice it up with magic? This will be fun. . .

Same statement applies- if you have any questions, comments or concerns, hate or love, please send me a PM and I'll get back to you! Please remember to leave a review-it adds a Galleon to Lupin's bank account. Also-I'm looking for another beta if anyone's interested. As my current beta SarCoops (check out her J/L fic if you haven't already! see favorites) pointed out, the more eyes the better. Again. Send a PM and we'll talk. Happy June!~KH


	24. The Sorting Hat's Last Song

The Sorting Hat's Last Song

* * *

Minerva McGonagall could not remember the last time she was so angry, let alone, being angry at someone above the age and emotional level of a Seventh Year student at Hogwarts.

But standing in the background as Pettigrew and Potter told Albus what they had seen in the forest, her anger threatened to spill over from its tightly constrained bounds. How was it that her friend, former teacher, mentor, could sit so calmly as four teenage boys told him that You-Know-Who was planning the corruption and brutal end of some of their favorite students? And beyond that, how could he listen to all of this knowing Lily Evans had not been invited into the Order? And at his doing no less?

"I'll write to Frank at once," the Headmaster said, looking at the four boys. "The four students who are to meet with Ms. Lestrange will be put in the care of Order members within the Ministry. Voldemort is getting creative in thinking he can form spies in new Ministry employees. I am afraid that the Ministry wouldn't suspect them so much as employee's with higher clearance and intelligence."

"And the students at St. Mungos?" James asked, "You seem to have a plan for the Ministry but what about Evan…"

"Frank will personally be the one to choose who will have watch offer St. Mungos," Albus cut him off. "Whoever he assigns, I can assure you Mr. Potter, will be well qualified for the position. You are not the only one who has ties to the Hospital. I understand Ms. McKinnon and Ms. Livesly are studying there, we would not leave them so unprotected."

_If he thinks Lily Evans will feel flattered by the fact someone is going to be her babysitter rather than let her join the Resistance, _Minerva thought as her eyebrows knit together, _he's obviously beginning to lose his mind. Just when we need him the most, he chooses now to lose his wise, all knowing marbles._

"Thank you for your information gentlemen," he said with a smile as he arose from his desk, the four rising in turn knowing their cue for dismissal. "But I just have one more thing to ask, how was it you knew to be on the grounds tonight? Let alone how did you get so close you could make out the Death Eater's conversation without detection?"

She could never get past how Pettigrew always turned to Potter, and Lupin always to Black for the response to questions such as these. "Just Luck Professor," Sirius said simply, "Nothing but Gryffindor luck. Now, can we go down for breakfast now? I've been looking forward to this last meal for seven years now." As simple as that, the four disappeared, leaving Minerva alone in the apartment of the Headmaster as the sun streamed through the stained glass window, drowning the floor in a shade of bright, blood red.

"Those boys do have extraordinary luck, do they not Minerva?" Albus asked simply. "If only I believed them, I would consult with Mr. Black before I place bets at Quidditch match."

"You doubt they heard these Death Eater's are plotting murder?" She asked coolly.

"No, not that," he said with a sigh, " I know far two well that that is true. I just feel as though it wasn't luck alone that was on their side last night."

"Is it true what they told me," she started, "Is it true you did not invite Lily Evans into the Order of the Phoenix?"

It looked as though the mere suggestion of this added another wrinkle to the old man's face. He shook his head sitting back into the chair behind his desk. "I had hoped you would not find out till later."

"How could you not do this Albus?" She groaned in frustration, taking the chair Lupin had just emptied. "Last June, we sat in this office and selected Heads. We also discussed whom out of this years graduates we believed would be interested in the Order, who would be most beneficial and most passionate. _Both of us _agreed Evans. The only reason I agreed Potter to be Head Boy was the belief she would mature him, and help him prepare for the Order. After the attacks in the fall, we discussed a second time and we still agreed, Evans and Potter, then more than ever, would be in the Order. In December, we discussed this _again _with Frank Longbottom and all felt it was right for Lily Evans to be a member of the resistance. And now, here you are saying she's not a candidate?" Minerva raised her hand to her temple, a vain hope she could contain her temper by pushing her heated argument back in, "Do you just expect You-Know-Who to not care for her because you don't?"

She had at first supposed the silence was the sole result of him not having a comeback, or desire to banter with her at seven in the morning. But then, Minerva looked in his eyes and realized that she had nailed his thought process right on the head.

"That's what you planned isn't it? That's exactly what you thought…" she leaned back in the chair completely shocked. "But why?" The words seemed silly, woefully inadequate, as though they were just as childish as one of her students "Why Albus?"

"After the Fiendfyre in Stockport, I realized Voldemort was only going to get more aggressive in his recruitment tactics. I was afraid that Miss Evans already had a large target on her head because she was a muggleborn, and a very gifted Muggleborn at that. If Tom knew I was interested in recruiting her, he would mount a fierce recruitment effort to get her to join ranks. Unlike the Order, you don't walk away from an offer to become a Death Eater," in the morning light, she could see just how old the war was making Dumbledore. Nearly ten years ago, you could still auburn intermingle with white in his beard. Now he looked as frosted as the outside world felt.

"Obviously, my plan has backfired as we have at least four witnesses that Lily Evans is indeed at risk," he said half-heartedly.

"It's not too late Albus, she isn't dead yet," Minerva said weakly, looking into his eyes. "Offer Lily an Invitation to the Order. If she's in danger, at least let her make a stand for her own survival. She'd be with friends, people who want to protect her. She's just one witch, what possibly would make You-Know-Who kill her? She's not a secret weapon."

More silence filled the room, the gentle coos of Fawkes summoned more light into the room as the morning sun rose, the red color of the windows now coloring Minerva's face like medieval war paint. Rising from the chair, she began to walk out of the room. Soon she'd have to put on a happy face and congratulate the graduating seventh years. Hours of smiling at a hundred or so students, some of them with death sentences, some that may not survive the year, some that would never live to see children of their own at Hogwarts.

For nearly ten years, the rising darkness of You-Know-Who claimed faces she had once seen on a daily basis. Lucinda Greenwood, Minerva wasn't supposed to have favorites, but Lucinda was one of them; a great Chaser for Gryffindor with her long braids and gentle eyes, and her husband, Harvey Abbott, the Hufflepuff that as a student had always met her with a complement and sincere smile; they had died in '73. They had only been married a few short months. In fact, Minerva wore the same robes to their funeral as she had their wedding. Then there was Sam Ferguson, he had been among the first in 1971, murdered by Death Eaters in Belfast, the most talented transfiguration student of his year killed over his blood status.

And then there had been the death of Nicolette Fairchild in her York home the previous summer by Death Eaters. Something seemed to pull on Minerva's heart at the realization Nicholette should be graduating that morning. She had been Minerva's favorite student outside of her own house, the darling Hufflepuff with her golden braids, she had a sweet face, a near sparkle in her eyes when she smiled. _How could any human sincerely look at that face, those eyes, and wave a wand against her? _Minerva had agreed to help her get into a Transfiguration program on the continent; but that wasn't enough to keep her alive. She had suffered nightmares for weeks after that pupil's death…_but how many more must die? _

_If Lily joins the r__anks of the dead, then you'll lose Potter. Potter will dedicate his life, whatevers left of it, to avenging her and in his own grief; he'll probably be killed. If Potter dies, Black will go into a warpath greater than Potters, and that will kill scores of Death Eaters before he dies himself, who knows what will happen to Lupin and Pettigrew. _

_T_he image of a little girl of eleven with her new Standard Book of Spells, littered with notes and dog-eared pages, came to her mind. The girl was running into her classroom,her face flushed, her red hair flying behind her as a boy with black jet hair followed her with an impish grin as his three other classmates followed suit. _They're not children anymore-you can't protect them. But can't the bloody Order?_

Stopping mid step across the room, she pulled herself from her memories and turned around to face the Headmaster one more time. Her voice felt heavy, matching the words she spoke, "If you do not invite her and she ends up missing, tortured, or God forbid, she's dead, please realize Albus-you'll have to answer to more people than James Potter."

* * *

((*))

* * *

"How do I look?" Vera asked as they milled about in the outer chamber of the Great Hall, waiting for Professor McGonagall to bring them inside for the ceremony. Lily looked at her friend with dubious eyes. If Vera _really _wanted to know what she looked like, she could look at any of the other seventh years. All were identical in deep purple robes, a thin gold braid rope serving as a belt around the waist. The traditional robes of Hogwarts Graduation ceremonies reminded Lily of illustrations she had seen of King Arthur and Merlin when she read books as a child. To be wearing one, with a white bib draped across her front, emblazed by the school crest and a deep crimson stole for Gryffindor House draping her shoulders, Lily felt she was dressing up for Halloween rather than graduating from her beloved school.

"Fix your hat to the left and you look spot on," she smiled as her friend went to work readjusting the already perfectly placed hat.

"I'm so excited for this," Vera smiled, "The Ceremony itself is so short, I don't know why our parents make such a hub bub about it."

"Potter's parents are just proud he hasn't been expelled," Lily mocked, rolling her eyes. She ignored Vera's look, as though she was genuinely shocked Lily had just spoken ill of James. In full reality, she had no reason to be upset. When she had gotten back from Hogsmede after a brief visit with her parents, she had thought she and James could go on another midnight walk around the grounds. That hour with her parents talking about the St. Mungos, the apartment she'd be sharing with Vera, and what needed to be done before any of that had made her realize just how short a time they had left before things would become a complicated blur. What more, she wanted that one last night with James on the grounds, just to spend her last night at Hogwarts with him under their tree by the lake.

The disappearance of the four Marauders had thrown her evening plans off. She should have been grateful, their absence meant she could chat longer into the night with Vera. But when her friend had fallen asleep around three and the four masters of mischief were still no where to be found, then the worry, and fitful hours of sleep had arisen leaving her with nightmares worse than all previous.

"Speaking of the Head Boy, where is he? I haven't seen hide nor hair of them this morning," Vera started, jumping on top of her tip toes to see if she could find a familiar face in the mob of purple robes.

"Really Vera, you couldn't find Sirius Black if he was barking in front of you," James said as he appeared at their side, the others coming in to her view. His eyes looked haggard, as though he had either got little sleep or had spent most of the prior evening taking shots of fire whiskey. The look was etched in each of his friends' eyes making her belief it was the later, drunken option.

But, with James at least, his smile and voice suggested all was well. "I thank you both for having such bright hair, it helps identifying you in this mob of, what was it you called this Moony?"

"Purple Poltergeists with pointy heads?" Remus offered with a yawn.

"Yes, Purple Poltergeists," James echoed, joining Lily's side and instantly wrapping his hand intertwined with her own. His hand holding hers tightly as though he was trying to make sure she was there, as though he was making sure she couldn't leave without his notice.

"Where the devil were you last night?" She asked in a hushed murmur, the others lost in their own sleepy, slurred conversation. A shade of red starting to ignite her ears. "I came looking for you last night when I got back and you weren't in your room or the Common Room."

"Lily Evans," James started taken aback as though Sirius had used a beater's bat on his head, "You went looking for me? And in my bedroom no less?" His eyes were wide as he gave a low whistle, "I didn't take you for that type, I'm sorry I wasn't there…"

"Potter!" Lily fired back. A year ago she would've used one of her homemade hexes on him. A couple months ago she would've called him a toe rag. Now she could just roll her eyes and give him a spiteful look.

"Don't worry love, I know you wouldn't visit me for a reason like that," his grip on her hand loosened. "Sirius would never let you live it down. What more, you're too classy."

"James where were you last night, no games," she asked. She had expected this to be a day of celebration and he was slowly turning it into a day of agitation. _Go for the guilt, _she though, tilting her head slightly as she added, "I was worried something bad had happened."

His shoulders sagged, _Bingo. "_I had a meeting with some old friends," he muttered back, in a husky whisper, bending his head and resting it atop her own, his makeshift pillow. "And then I had to meet with Dumbledore this morning, urgent notice from the Academy, it wasn't an ideal night."

"You swear you four of you weren't our drunk somewhere?" She asked, lifting her head and in the processes dislodging his pillow. He looked so haggard the more she looked at him, his smile and faux happiness was a burden. Whatever charm he had used to shave that morning had not been performed well enough, he had the occasional strip of stubble on his left cheek while part of his right eyebrow seemed to be missing.

"I promise," he said "Trust me, I hold my liquor better than I hold together exhausted." A new emotion seemed to take Lily back. He was looking at her as though he was sad; something was wrong, the only time she had seen this expression on his face was in her nightmares. If it wasn't sadness, was it worry? Why was he looking at her like that? _It must just be whatever message he had from the Academy, _she lied to herself, _and it's obliviously upsetting, that's why he's worried, he doesn't want you to be worried..._

"What did the Academy have to say?" She asked, longing to share the rain cloud with her umbrella. "Was their another attack? You can tell me James; I can help…" her hand traveled to where his stubble was apparent on his face. "Maybe if two people knew you wouldn't have to worry about missing spots."

"It was nothing," he answered his hands busy at fixing her hat he had messed up. "Just an urgent notice, you need not worry," he repeated. _Was he unaware of her touch? This isn't like James Potter, something has to be wrong. _

"Well if it was urgent and it wasn't an attack…"

He shook his head, " No Lily, I can't tell you," he answered looking down, his tone more authoritative then normal it was starting to unnerve her. "Don't worry about it, you have no reason to worry about anything. Well, I'd still worry about meeting my mother, but other then that…" He joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Then let me guess," Lily said stubbornly, her jaw now locked against him. She took her hand in his and gave it a strong squeeze as he had done earlier. Her emerald eyes a fire, she started "If I guess then you can't get in trouble. You just have an inquisitive…"

"_Lily—"_

"Attention Students," the voice of Professor McGonagall called from the doors. "If you could form a two by two line, we're ready for you, follow me."

She could feel Vera's arm pull her to her side, her hand fleeing from James', taking any possible comfort with it. Sirius had taken her spot next to James and they were now making their way to the door. Apparently, Lily's questions would have to wait.

* * *

((*))

* * *

Sunlight streamed from the ancient arched windows, slight rays o f light danced from the ceiling above as thin clouds rolled against an azure sky.

For Peter Pettigrew, there seemed to be an extra magic in the air. In many ways, the hall looked identical to how it had been for seven years, and surely centuries before his arrival. But today the long house tables where missing. Six or so rows in the back of the hall were filled by family members of the graduates, and even more benches laid in front of them now being filled by the students in the front of the line.

He heard a camera flash and he turned around, looking to see his mother in her finest fox coat and luncheon hat, sandwiched between the Lupins on one side and the Potters on the other.

"Turn around Pete, your Mum will take pictures of you soon enough," Remus muttered, as they walked into the row.

"Right, you don't think we have to go home with them do we?" Peter asked, a shot of embarrassment running through him as he turned his neck again, looking one more time. Why did his mum have to look as though she was going to burst into tears at any moment? His friends' parents were all sitting and behaving normally. If anything they showed their pride with radiant smiles. The Potters in the elderly years were brimming with joy shining in their eyes, for both Sirius and James. Then there were the Lupins, despite there less fashionable appearance the same joy for their son's achievements was palpable. Had they believed this day would ever come? He followed their gaze to Remus sitting next to him. _He must be one of the only educated Werewolves in the country, _Peter thought, as a wave of the Lupin's pride claimed him for his friend's achievement.

Professor McGonagall stood in front of the students, walking to join the opposite side of Dumbledore. The moment she did so, Peter saw a hat, similar to the one all the students now donned, only older. Much older and dirtier than Peter could remember. "Oi! Moony, is that…."

"Oh shush Wormtail," Sirius muttered on his opposite side, cranking his head up to look up, past the blocked view from a student's hat. "Seven years and we have to sit through another blasted song? Was Dumbledore too cheap to get a Skeleton Quartet? I've been to death day parties more entertaining than this…"

"Forget that," James mumbled in response, "We give this school seven of our prime years, little less than half our life, and we have to listen to _this?_"

Peter had picked a poor place to sit; he cranked up his head, but he could only make out the tip of the Sorting hat as it began its unexpected song.

_Oh you may not think I'm Pretty,_

_But neither then are you_

_Seven years you've been here_

_Seven years since I sang my tune_

_When you first arrived,_

_I played my merry part_

_Picking brains, reading secrets_

_I sor__ted you out by heart:_

_Some have dwelled in Gryffindor,_

_Those daring, brave, with nerve_

_But even bravest of Gryffindor, _

_From valiant valor can defer._

_Others called themselves Ravenclaw_

_Those with a point to pr__ove_

_But intellect can only go so far,_

_Sometimes wit cannot show ways to higher truths._

_Merry folk have answered to Hufflepuff,_

_The just and loyal of this band_

_But take note that even justice_

_Can be blinded by guilty hands._

_Ambition found__ home in Slytherin_

_Where gather the closest of friends_

_But even strongest oaths_

_Can lead to sinister ends._

_Apart you've lived these years _

_But together, now you must be_

_Though once sorted the time has come-_

_To unite for the danger I foresee._

_So leave this school as friends,_

_For happiest were we_

_When we__ dwelt together_

_In a United Company!_

Perhaps it had been the lack of sleep, or what he and James had overheard in the early hours of that morning, but Peters struggled in clapping his hands to the hat. They felt heavy, as though stones had been attached to them. _Even the ruddy hat knows we're all in danger, _he thought as the words of faulty Gryffindors echoed his heart. Could there be such a thing? What would a Gryffindor 'valiant valor defer' to? Gryffindor was the best, the strongest, why defer? Gryffindors kept each other safe, who could offer greater protection? What would cause a person to defer of their Gryffindor qualities?

There was nothing he wished more than perhaps the Sorting Hat receive a silencing charm indefinitely. If his graduation song was scaring the heartiest of Graduates, he could only fear how a similar song would be received by new first years in September. _Silence the hat and save the masses, _he grumbled, _that's the only way we can fix this…_

"Thank you," Dumbledore beamed with a smile, nodding towards the hat. "I feel as though this year's farewell speech will be shorter lived, as our friendly hat has stolen the words right out of my mouth."

"Or perhaps he's just picked up on something staying in your office all year," Sirius quipped quietly to James who responded with a grim smile "He could've written that song based on this morning's chat."

"With each new year, our world becomes darker. It's not just in the Wizarding World, but in the Muggle world also," Dumbledore began, as Peter looked at his friends, who looked as though they were trying to decide if this was meant to be encouraging or depressing…_Job security for James at the very least…_

"But what the forces of Darkness do not understand that is while it tries to suppress Darkness over this world, each year comes new light, new strength in young people, in you," the Headmaster cheered, his eyes traveling down the rows of students, the piercing blue meeting each as though he was trying to see thru to the student's soul. _No, Dumbledore wouldn't read your thoughts, _Peter thought. _Surely he can, but he isn't doing that now, he's trying to be encouraging, not disturbing…_

"While you have been at Hogwarts, your houses have been your family. Your Home. The sure place you could always find others who share your ideas. The place where you were always safe amongst your housemate's company. Now, we must unsort you," Dumbledore said with a genuine sigh. "But you must do that yourself. You are no longer a member of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin. Now you are a member of humanity and you must work together for success to be found."

"Is it just me or did Dumbledore just dive off the deep end?" Sirius muttered annoyed, scratching the back of neck as he usually did, Peter had observed, when he was cranky or tired. "I'm not singing Kumbiya with Snape anytime soon, and Macnair isn't likely to have Remus over to tea."

"And I'm not going to accept any such invitation _ever," _Remus retorted.

"As you leave Hogwarts, leave taking the best memories," Peter turned his glance to James who was looking longingly and lovingly at Lily. " Leave Hogwarts forgetting the worst, and promising to come together with others to secure this world for another generation to walk in your light," the light blue eyes of circled the hall one final time, before he moved to sit down, the applause of the few family members that had come echoing where the noise made by the graduates could not.

Peter didn't pay attention as the four heads of the Houses gave some parting words. Slughorn just fumbled around, dropping the occasional name. Professor Leif, head of Hufflepuff, had tried to make an anology between the graduates and a Crumpled Snout Nargle but Peter had long since learned to turn off his focus when Leif spoke. Peter actually tried paying attention to Flitwick, but his lack of sleep drowned out his hearing and all he could interperet was a few high pitched squeeks.

He had a new and lasting appreciation for Professor McGonagall; she had said her warm farewell to Gryffindor house earlier that week. Her graduation address was nothing but a brief regurgitation of what she had earlier said. When the applause had ended the fourth and final time, Peter looked at McGonagall, who was still standing up in front of the hall.

"If we could have the graduates please stand, and follow Mr. Hagrid," she kindly ordered. "You may reunite with your graduate at Hogsmeade Station or Kingscross"

"We have to follow Hagrid?" Peter asked, relieved that he would not become his mother's human handkerchief upon leaving the hall, he had a few moments more of being Wormtail before _that_ embarrassment.

"This is the best part of the ceremony," Remus smiled as they waved at their parents walking into the outer chamber.

"Seventh Years follow me! Seventh years!" Hagrid called, waving what looked like a banner the same color of their graduate robes. The scene looked so familiar to Peter but he couldn't place where or when, _shouldn't that be a lantern?_ He thought as he focused on the Hogwarts banner flurrying in the morning wind.

Sirius had already loosened the bib around his neck as the four marauders made their way down the hill from the castle, Lily and Vera flanking their sides and Peter could notice in a jealous awe how James' hand was so quick to find Lily's. Occasionally, someone would turn away from the cheerful, bubbly chatter and look back at the castle. Peter wished he was leaving the castle as unaware as he had entered it seven years ago, or even twenty four hours ago, before he knew he and his best friends, his brothers, were being followed by the Dark Lord.

"Four to a boat," Hagrid said as the reached their destination. A small armada of white paneled rowboats rested in the clear lake. "Don't worry, these ones are 'specially for Seventh Years, they can stand the weight," Hagrid nodded towards a few Hufflepuffs who looked dubious.

"Come on boys, we came on the same boat, might as well leave," Sirius winked as he made way to one of the enchanted boats. Remus and Peter followed, while James hopped in just before the boat pushed off by itself, having gone to the boat nearest them to help Lily and Vera into it.

Peter, and he was sure the other Marauders, had never seen the lake so blue. It was as though they were sailing on the sky itself. It was the scene of Magic, the reflection of Hogwarts on the upward cliffs followed them as they gild across the calm waters, and to Sirius' delight, the sweet songs of Mermaids, notes of underwater sonata's appeared in the occasional foam against the boat.

"It's really over isn't it?" Remus asked his eyes turned one final time at the castle

"It is," Sirius smirked, swiping the hat from his head, and rustling his friend's hair "And about time too, you're starting to go gray Moony!"

Across from them, a few students where also having a similar conversation, at which they threw their purple hats high in to the air with cheers and hoots.

James had a wide smirk on his face and took his hat from his head; "Padfoot, should we throw our hats in the air or give them one last Marauder treat?"

"You know Prongs," Sirius grinned widely, "I think a Chinese Fireball with a Camelot Corkscrew…"

The four boys each took out their wands and four rays of bright lights erupted from them, exploding in the sky as different forms of fireworks, floating nymphs, and what seemed to be slight imitations of a wolf, a rat, a dog and a stag who left their places in the sky and began playing in the foam around the boats.

Peter turned around for one last look of the castle. Others had tossed their hats into the air following the example of the Hufflepuffs. Their hats remained, floating like lilacs in the reflection the now truly empty castle. Wormtail gave a smile back at the castle, and as he turned around his heart stopped seeing the boat carrying Snape, Macnair and Avery, all who wore a sinister smile. Macnair's eyes met Peter's with a flash of foreboding danger and in an instant Peter could feel his blood run cold as though he had just been tossed into the lake itself.

"Oi, Wormtail, we're doing an encore, turn around and join," Sirius called, dragging Peter's attention back to him and the cheerful laughter of his brothers.

_They can't make Gryffindor valor defer,_ Peter thought as he turned his back on the Slytherin boat. _No, they could never make any of the Marauder's,_ but even that thought seemed like a gentle plea as the boats continued to their dock and his brothers laughed in their last few moments on Hogwarts grounds.

* * *

An: Ok. So after a rather long chapter, I have a rather long author's note….

First off: I had to delete a portion of Chapter 22 for sake of length. I really didn't want to say goodbye to it, so I've uploaded it as it's own story: "Finding Francis." This month marks the year anniversary since I started Dried Lilies, so consider it a little gift from James, Lily and I. Check it out!

Secondly: Oh. My. Rowling. Pottermore...

and Thirdly, I really want to know your feed back on the Graduation... I didn't want to trifle through a diploma scene, Head Boy Head Girl Speeches...I think Wizards would prefer a short to the point ceremony (at least Sirius would). I've heard some people brain storm on over how they left, and I really liked the idea of having them cross the lake as they had in their first year. And as for the Sorting Hat, I figure it's in that office long enough to come up with two cleaver little songs. One song to welcome kiddos when they first start their adventure and another to offer guidence to those who won't be returning.

Very long chapter- I hope you all enjoyed it. As always, any questions, concerns comments, angry mobs, or peaceful mobs (in that case gathering?) please leave a review or forward a PM. : ) -kh


	25. Liar's Promise

D: Because my wonderful beta SarCoop told me Harry Potter will be released in Australia today, my Deathly Hallows fever has gone out of control and I'm updating at the beginning of the week! Must. Celebrate. Potter. . .

* * *

Liar's Promise

* * *

The Hogsmeade station churned with a mix of parents and students as steam billowed from under the crimson train. The recent graduates where quickly engaged in taking photographs with friends and family while others, reveling in their freedom to perform magic, began the summer by forwarding trunks back to their homes so they wouldn't need to bother with them on the train.

"I wonder how many of our year are just going to apparate and skip the train home," Vera had muttered next to Lily's side before she too disappeared, a mass of McKinnons coming to congratulate her. Lily shrugged her shoulders and kept looking through the crowd for her parents, almost oblivious to her friend's sudden departure. She had expected them to be there when the boats had arrived back in Hogsmeade's Dock. Now, fifteen minutes after the fact, she was starting to get worried they'd already left with other muggleborn parents.

Her eyes were still set on the distant horizon when two arms found their way around her, waist pulling her gently towards the a soft and familiar voice. "Looking for me, love?" James asked, kissing the top of her head. "You know I was right behind you when we got here. The boys and I just got side tracked running away from Pete's mum –don't blame you for fleeing. Merlin knows I wish I could have. Mrs. Pettigrew's a piece of work. Five minutes with her you wonder how Peter's so normal"

She smiled as he went on about Mrs. Pettigrew's prejudice against Marauders but that was the extent of her conversation with James. Just as her attention was diverted searching for her parents in the crowd, she couldn't help remembering James' vacant attention that morning as they awaited the ceremony. But now, something was different. The boat ride-and no doubt the show put on by the four boys-had seemed to greatly improve James' mood. Compared to the man she had seen that morning, the man who had clasped her hand so tight, as though he was making sure she was real, this James was different and _almost_ genuinely cheerful. There was only a faint shadow in his eyes he hadn't been able to completely deceive.

_What has gone wrong? What isn't he telling me?_ Normally _she_ was the one that kept secrets. Now that the roles were reversed, she felt a small pang of guilt for all those times she hadn't enlightened James throughout the years...

_But that was before you and he, before you went from a me to a we, that was before he stopped being a prat_ she told herself dismissing the guilt she had momentarily felt. The feeling she was being lied to, lured into a false sense of calm was alarming. She could feel her blood boil and she had to bite down on her tongue. It was their last day, their last trip back to London, she shouldn't make a scene. Not now anyway.

He was still going on about something or other when she heard a different voice and felt his arms leave their protective hold around her. "Damn—" James started, as her parents walked over to them, a smile etched on her mother's face while her father's withering glare seemed as though it was made just for the man standing next to Lily.

"There's our lovely Lily!" Charlotte Evans beamed wrapping her arms around her youngest daughter tightly, with one hand pushing the back of Lily's head into the embrace. "Mum—ompf—too tight—I've had constrictor hexes that are gentler-"

"Ah, sorry about that Lilybeth," her mum apologized, loosening her grip. "We would've been here sooner but Professor Slughorn wanted to congratulate us—nicest man, he told us about a fish you gave him. Thinks the world of you," Mrs. Evans let go of her embrace, taking her feasting eyes off her daughter and at James, recognizing him for the first time since the reunion with her daughter. "Oh Richard look! It's James!"

"Oh, hello Jeffery," he said as though he was annoyed by James' mere existence but pacified his wife with extending a hand shake with the annoyance all the same. _Sounds like I did for all those years, _Lily thought nostalgically, giving thanks that at least one of her parents seemed slightly indifferent to James presence, even though that indifference was borderline dislike. It would have been too easy if James wooed both her parents. Having one at least mildly annoyed seemed to add a new layer of attraction to her dearest friend.

"Dad, it's James," Lily corrected as she turned her attention back to James, taking his hand somewhat subtly. "James these are my parents, you remember? From Christmas-"

"And Petunia's wedding," Mr. Evans grumbled as he continued his glare against the boy before he returned his attention back to his daughter, the look of malice in his eyes melting into parental joy.

"We're so proud of you Lily. Our little witch," he echoed, kissing the top of her forehead as Mrs. Evans became occupied with her purse, removing muggle candies and pocket books before pulling out a bulky muggle camera that even James could guess was ten years old.

"Now when we talked to Professor McGonagall, she's the one that lifted the defense spell so your father and I could actually s_ee_ the castle and come in, I asked her about the moving pictures and she said as long as you develop the film magically than we'll be set for the best Christmas Cards..." Mrs. Evans explained bubbly, "About time too. Emily Van Aulfen has had bragging rights for years and now it's our turn to dazzle," looking at her husband and daughter, she motioned for them to strike a pose, "Oh come on you two, try and be serious…"

"Someone call my name?" Sirius asked, arriving next to the three Evanses and Potter.

"Oh and there's the other boy from Christmas!" Mrs. Evans smiled nodding in Sirius direction. "What was his name again Lily?"

"Somber, Somber something," Mr. Evans complained a rusty color starting to arise in his cheeks. If anything, Lily could tell her father found her mother's familiarity and tolerance of James and Sirius just as deviant a betrayal as his daughter's affection for the two.

"The only thing _Somber _here is this muggle's out look on the two of us," Sirius muttered to James looking at the scene. "The way I see it, Mrs. Evans doesn't mind us much, where as Mr. Evans…"

"Looks as though he'd prefer us to duel each other to the death?" James interrupted looking at the family still engaged with the camera. "It took me seven years to woo Lily, It'll probably take me seven years to get a father's blessing."

Sirius smirked lopsidedly, "And that puts Lily at twenty four years old-he seems like the sort of dad who wouldn't allow his daughter to marry a scallywag like you till she was thirty-five. Tough luck mate."

"Excuse me, Mr. Evans," James began, noticing, as the Evans patriarch seemed to crank his neck and look at the boy who had addressed him. "I'll take a picture with the three of you, How's that? Get that Christmas Greeting photograph for Mrs. Evans."

"Erm, thank you Joseph," Mr. Evans replied, handing the camera to James cautiously. "It's the little silver knob on top," he said, his voice dripping with suspicion. "Right, now smile wide," he mused as he looked behind the lenses to bring the three faces into focus.

"On the count of three…" He started, bringing the family into view. Mr. Evans stood on Lily's left, her mother on her right. In the background you could see the walls surrounding the castle far off in the distance, the background to a few of the buildings that lay on the outskirts of Hogsmeade. The blue sky now showing a few white puffs of clouds emerging from beyond the mountains.

"_One…" _he lifted up a finger. _Mrs. Evans doesn't mind us much, _there seemed to be a natural kindness that shone from Mrs. Evans's eyes. A warm gentleness that left James with the belief she was a very affectionate mother. Her smile came with gentle creases around its end implying she often smiled and often laughed, and often did so thanks to the help of the two people standing next to her.

_"Two…_" he lifted up another. Somewhere behind him he could hear Sirius mocking him as the best cameraman the station had ever seen. _Mr. Evans looks as though he'd prefer Sirius and I to do each other in and leave Lily alone..._He had appeared rough, but next to his wife and daughter that appearance vanished. He had laugh lines like his wife. His talent for coming up with incorrect names when trying to communicate with James mirrored a defensiveness his daughter had used for six years against him. _She probably wrote some pretty detailed letters to him about you throughout the years. He knows you've been pursuing his daughter for years. And now you've broken Lily's line of defenses and there's a relationship forming, he's probably terrified you'll mess with her..._and the thought of Mr. Evans with a muggle equivalent of a wand set a chill down his back.

"_Three…" _and there was Lily. A smile as wide as he'd ever seen, her arms draped around her two parents and the wind flirting with the locks of her hair. She was the perfect blend of her parents; she had her mother's eyes and her father's stubbornness. He could hear the film _click _and his eye kept gazing through the lenses. _Lily's your happy thought, _he remembered, and he felt that so long as he could remember that happy thought, he could withstand any Dementor Attack.

"I'm sorry camera man, but aren't you supposed to say some Muggle Dairy product after three?" Sirius asked with a raised eyebrow, pulling James back from behind the camera lens. "Although if truth be told, I wouldn't mind "Yorkshire puddings" or "Dumplings" as substitutes."

"Thank you James," Mrs. Evans smiled taking the camera back from him. "Now your turn," she nudged, tilting her head towards her youngest daughter, the shine he had seen in the mother's eyes behind the camera continuing its all-knowing glow.

"Mum, James doesn't want…" Lily started but stopped after seeing James giving her a reproachful look. He may have supposed it _his _look that silenced her but was slightly discouraged when he looked back and saw Mrs. Evans.

"Lily, it's your graduation day. Humor me," she said with a tint of sternness' in her voice that echoed a tone Lily had used against him for years.

"You really think I wouldn't want a picture with you?" James asked Lily as he joined her side, rustling the back of his head, "I'm starting to think you don't like me Evans, it's an alarming thought."

"Oh shut it," Lily answered, her arm wrapped around his back as she came close to his embrace "I'm just trying to figure out what was bothering you this morning. I've been thinking about it since we got in the boats."

"Next one will have add you Sirius dear," Mrs. Evans nodded to the solitary Gryffindor who looked like he was enjoying the show before him a little too much. "Just want one picture of the two of them alone, since they were Heads together after all…you know, prosperity."

"No problem" Sirius said, the laugh inescapably detectable in his voice. "Especially with _prosperity_ on the line."

_"One…" _Mrs. Evans had started counting.

James looked down at Lily, his eyebrows furrowed, "Lily, you're wasting your time. Nothing was bothering me this morning, I was just tired. Stop worrying, you don't need too...Even Dumbledore doesn't see reason to alarm you"

"_Two-"_

"If Dumbledore has calmed these non existent worries, then why were you making such a fuss about it this morning?" She asked, her expression becoming darker by the moment. "I know you're not telling me something and frankly it's alarming me James. I can take it, I'd rather know something was going on than…"

"It's not a matter of bravery," he told her, his scowl deepening. He had _nearly_ forgotten about all of this and now, in front of an audience, she had chosen, to ask him these questions, "If you would just have a little faith in me you wouldn't be so alarmed now would you?"

"_Three, _say Hogwarts_" _Mrs. Evans smiled, oblivious to what was going on between the faces behind her lenses.

"JAMIE!" a voice cried from behind the Evanses. "Jamie!"

Lily broke eye contact and James looked down at the floor, as his hand scratched the back of his neck. Now, now when he was having his first legitimate argument with Lily since they started dating, now when he was trying to make a good impression. He could hear Sirius chuckling softly in the background and asking Mrs. Evans if _she _would give him a copy of the photograph, his laughter growing harder to restrain only as Mrs. Potter emerged from the crowd.

* * *

((*))

* * *

If Lily had to pick James' mother out of a line up, she would never have guessed the ginger haired, well aged witch to fit the roll. For years Lily had envisioned the woman to have spawned Potter to be as sickly sweet and deceptive as her son, Dorea Potter seemed to be quite the opposite. She wore bright ruby red dress robes with fine lace trimming, as was the fashion according to Madam Finespin's Column in the Daily Prophet, and had grip of a Bowtruckle as Lily learned when she gave her a tight embrace.

"You must be the Evanses, James has told me so much about you," Mrs. Potter beamed, looking up to Lily's face. "I'm Dorea Potter. And this-" she turned to her side and for the first time noticed that her husband was not with her, "Oh where has he gone? If that Pettigrew woman has him captive so she can tell of the connection she hopes to make between Peter and that Bertha girl…."

"I'm right hear my dear Dorea," a man put in, entering the circle of acquanitcence as Mrs. Potter spoke. "John Lupin's not going to appreciate the fact I abandoned him with Pricilla, but Peter and Remus were near by so they'll rescue him if Peter's mother get's carried away."

Lily looked at James's father, who coincidently enough, stood next to his son. If it hadn't been for the decay that comes with old age, she supposed father and son would be the same height. Mr. Potter seemed to be a perfect picture of how James would look in fifty years; like his son, he had been of slender build and his trademark unruly hair had probably been black but had not turned snow white and had thinned in whisps so he looked like he had been licked by a mother cow—his hair flowing in every which direction. He held a cane in one hand, and she supposed it was from knobble joints. Like his wife, he seemed to carry an air of pleasantness and ease of making acquaintance with others, another trait inherited by the son.

"Charlie, this is Mr. and Mrs-"

"I'm Charlotte," Mrs. Evans said, taking the elderly wizard's hand. "And this is my husband Richard. We're Lily's Parents."

"Oh Lily," Mr. Potter smiled, turning his attention now to Lily; looking directly at him, Lily could see James had inherited every look from his father, down to the golden flecks in his eyes." Yes, James has told Dori and I quite a bit about you." For the slightest moment, lily had supposed she had seen the old man wink as he said "Dori has been looking forward to meeting your for some time now, ever since you got James's attention—."

"—Back on his studies," Mrs. Potter suddenly interrupted, looking at her husband sharply. Lily had to hold back her laughter. Mr. Potter looked puzzled, as though he was surprised at his wife's rudeness while Mrs. Potter seemed to think her husband had nearly proclaimed some long time family secret to the world.

"Which is why," Mrs. Potter continued, ignoring James's departed looks of agitation, "We wanted to invite you all to a family tea to celebrate the graduates. My house elf Gretel makes the best cucumber sandwiches," Mrs. Potter continued, "And she's rather gifted at Charmed sweet mint chocolates. You'll be giving your neighbor complements for hours off of those things, I'll tell you. Once I had Augusta Longbottom over and we had a little bit too may of the sweet mint chocolates, I believe I spent a whole afternoon complementing her latest falcon hat and she spent the better part of the afternoon asking after where I bought my doorknobs. Which if you knew Augusta as I do compliments don't come easy..."

"_Mum…" _James started trying to derail his mother. Lily could see the faintest bit of red on the back of his neck. She couldn't blame him for all of this she knew. She was almost looking forward to what would happen next. Her mother seemed intrigued while her father had a shadow of a smile. _Regardless of what happens between you and James at least Dad looks like he likes the Potters more than Veron's mother._

"Don't interrupt sweetheart its rude," Mrs. Potter sighed, patting her son's elbow. "Now as I was saying, afternoon tea…"

"I'm afraid we can't make the tea," Mrs. Evans said, her face showing a genuine disappointment at missing the opportunity to celebrate a tea with the Potter matriarch. "The McKinnons, they're friends of ours, they've invited us up to Amblside and have a little celebration for the girls. And I believe Vera and Lily are going to get they're belongings together so they can move into their flat this weekend, isn't that right Lilybeth?"

"Yes, we move in Sunday, courses will be starting within the next two weeks," Lily answered, her eyes looking at James. Did he know she felt as though she was in a tug of war between her desire to start work at St Mugnos and her desire to be with him? And she could feel the pull from her parents who, after seven years of letting her go off to school in what to them was another world, now wanted a chance to have their youngest daughter around more often.

Although she didn't know if James sensed all this from the look of her eyes, apparently his mother could sense it. "No matter" she sighed, looking between the Evanses and at Lily directly. "We'll just have to have you over before James enters the Academy, or better yet, why don't you just pop in whenever you're free. Jamie will be away at the Academy soon, if you ever want to come visit us in our lonesome…"

But the whistle called for students to begin their boarding the train.

"Here Lily, I'll find Marlene and Orion and they'll send your trunk to the house. Said something about a port that can take us to Stockport and then you can meet us at the house before we travel to Ambleside."

"Oh you don't need to bother with a portkey Mr. Evans," Mrs. Potter scoffed, "Here, we'll apparate home with you right now won't we? Let the kids have a last time on the train, it'd be nice, they'd enjoy it. And James will see Lily home _won't he?_" Mrs. Potter smiled as she set her blue eyes on James as though she was trying to express to her son he wouldn't be welcomed at his own home if he did not escort Lily home.

"Right Mum," James answered as he and Lily joined the throng of students congregating towards the train, waving to the Potters and Evanses as they disappeared into one of the train's many cars.

* * *

((*))

* * *

Lily sat in a compartment as she had for years and years. Remus had cast an enlargement charm prompting a_ "Why haven't we done this for years? Last Christmas we were in a tuna can and now we're in the bloody Taj Sha-hal?" _from six Gryffindor laid around in comfortable leisure as the fields of Hogsmead disappeared behind hills, Gryffindor tower disappearing from behind the mountain peaks as the landscape began to grow more and more dense with houses and city scapes.

After the trolley car rolled by, giving them free chocolate frogs for completing their stay at Hogwarts, each of them took turns saying what the next few months would hold. Peter, who had finished his Chocolate Frog first, announced that he was to travel the world with a few others of their year for three months. "It's a silly old tradition," Peter remarked, "Although I'm looking forward to when we get to Italy—the Italian Wizards have this charmed cheese that—"

"Bleeding Hippogriff Pete," Sirius roared with laughter, "You're supposed to learn about magic on these tours, not food."

"For Wormtail, it's one in the same," Remus interceded before he spoke about the weeklong holiday he had before he was to enter the Ministry working for Centaur Liasons.

"I'd rather work with Centaur's then I would Goblins," James said with a smile, "Of course, I'd rather face your furry little problem than Goblins, frightening blokes the lot of 'em."

"You're such a Wizard," Vera laughed, resting her head on Sirius shoulder. While Lily knew Vera's relationship with Sirius was a shadow of what it had been previously, it was nice to see even a ghost of what had once been considered normal.

"What you going at?" Sirius asked looking down at her. "Prongs is right, Goblins are scary little things. Their nails, the ears, and I swear, you even mention you have something Goblin made and then in the dark of the night they creep into your windows and…"

"Sirius Black are you scared of Goblins?" Lily laughed, "I thought you were afraid of nothing."

"Mum used to make me go to Gringotts in the summer, always wanted me to become Wizard Chairman of the place, they're frightening little blokes! You ever had one lock you in your family vault? When that happens, you can come talk to me about how cute and cuddly Goblins are. Personally, I'd rather be stuck on some forsaken island with Kreacher."

Sirius then went on a discourse with Peter about Goblins and House Elves before mentioning he had a line of summer jobs he was going to do but had no set career quiet yet, which alarmed Remus who had gone in and agreed to live in a flat with Sirius somewhere outside of London.

Vera and Lily took turns talking about St. Mungos who allowed a fortnight to pass between Hogwarts and Training. Their flat was to be on the other side of the Thames from Remus and Sirius, but Sirius all the same volunteered to be security if needs be and kept referencing that Remus knew of a great Guard Dog if they felt one was needed.

"We'll be fine thanks," Lily answered knowing quiet well that the Guard Dog was probably as friendly as a werewolf. "We'll be plenty safe, it's in a Muggle neighborhood, no one would expect to find us there."

And then it was James's turn. The Auror Academy. Once he went entered, they _may_ seem him a handful of times before Christmas. "Character and Survivor Training for the first six months, and then they weed out a few," James said nonchalantly. "Shouldn't be all that hard, Frank Longbottom says so anyway."

"Have you heard anything from Frank?" Lily asked again. Almost instantly the hard look that had been on his face earlier returned. "You know, about the resistance?"

"I thought you knew Lily," Remus seemed confused, James' face turning a ghostly white. "The Prewett boys have threatened James with bodily harm if we kept harassing them about the bloody resistance."

The color that had vanished from James' face quickly returned and for the duration of the voyage, talking about Sirius' fear of Goblins and whether or not that fear (or as he liked to put it _"mild discomfort")_ meant he was afraid of other small magical creatures, such as house elves or leprechauns.

The train rolled into Kings Cross station as it always had. Two by two, those in the compartment exited and waited for the rest of their party to reconvening on the platform. Although Lily would be unable to join Mrs. Potter's Graduation Tea, Peter and Remus agreed to meet at the Potter's home within the hour. Lily had half expected Vera to invite her over to her house straight away, and began to suspect Sirius had been bribed by Mrs. Potter to take Vera home so James could do the same.

"Come on Vera, I'm only apparating you home for a minute, I haven't seen my two little nieces in ages," Sirius moaned, taking Vera by the hand and pulling her towards an apparition part of the station where students could pop in and out.

"Sirius, they're _my _nieces," Vera began, disgruntled but more amused than annoyed. "And it makes sense that you haven't seen them in ages as I don't recall you ever meeting Ada and Evanna"

"Make's all the sense to go remedy that now. Closest thing I'm going to get to nieces is yours. That is until these two name me Godfather of their little brood," Sirius smirked, nodding back at James and Lily.

"What makes you think we're going to name you Godfather someday?" Lily asked as she rolled her eyes.

"Well, the fact you didn't hex me on the spot when I suggested you two would reproduce," Sirius winked before apparating with Vera before Lily could come back with words sharp as daggers, or hexed knives at the very least.

"You know Sirius," James sighed as he took Lily's hand. "Give him a bone and he'll chew it till it's well past dead."

"I don't know what I'm going to do not having Sirius to yell at on a daily basis," she laughed as they walked towards their spot on the platform. "Over seven years of bickering and now I am suddenly amused with him still suggestive comments. I feel like I've just lost my foil."

James thought about telling her not to pursue the conversation with Sirius, but believed that in the months that would surround his absence from the marauders and Lily an even friendlier relationship could blossom. Perhaps the Marauders would adopt her as the annoying younger sister? The sister that think she's a grown up, but has three older, over protective brothers.

_Sirius will keep her safe, _he told himself as they popped in unison, being tugged in harmony to a town far to the north, _he'd give his life to keep you safe—surly he'd do the same for her._

The imaginary hook that had pulled them from Kings Cross brought them to a secluded alley in the suburbs of Stockport. A brilliant blue sky welcomed them, while the sweet smells of morning lilies growing over the hedges filled the air.

"I guess you're going to be walking me home then?" She asked, looking down at her hand wrapped in his. "I've always wondered what dad would say if I brought in a stray and asked to keep him."

"Very funny Evans," he chuckled, "But even if I pretended to be a stag, I can sure as hell bet your dad wouldn't let me live in the backyard."

"Which is a pity, because I know if I turned up on your mum's doorstep she'd probably kick you out of your room and let me move in," she grinned teasingly. "Or did I read her impression wrong?"

"Nope," he laughed, getting the attention of kids passing by, "Mum pretty much loves you Lily Evans. You may not know this, but I talk about you, _a lot…"_

They turned of out the alley and made their way to the high street connecting to Thortenberry Road. The two looked rather ridiculous, still wearing parts of their graduation robes, but neither seemed to notice the looks from people Lily had known all her life. All that seemed to be real was the individual who was holding the other's hand, and in the chaos each knew the next few years for bring, that seemed to momentarily be perfection.

"When will you be home from Vera's tonight?" James asked eagerly. "Is your bedroom on the second floor? I could climb up when you're back and…"

"And my father would kill you and bury you under the rose bush," Lily laughed before her eyes turned sad. " I'm not coming home tonight. When the McKinnons hold a celebration, it's an all night affair, and my mum was right, Vera and I have to get our stuff together if we plan on moving to London this weekend." Her eyebrows puckered together as though she was trying to knit an answer to their dilemma. "What are you doing Monday? We could…"

"Full Moon," James said, his first regret for Lupin's monthly cycle. "And since Peter's out of town, Sirius, Remus and I are going to go camping in Wales. Remus really likes it out there, and he needs to have a good spot for—er—his furry issue."

"Your right, absolutely right," she answered looking down the road. Only two more houses before her own.

"That Sunday morning, before school starts for you," he asked, pulling her aside, behind the bushes that served as the perimeter to her parent's house.

"That should work. Vera will be at her families and I'll tell mine I'm bumming along," Lily said with a grin.

"Lying to authority, he sighed, shaking his head "Tut-tut. You know, I think you could've been our most dangerous Marauder if you ever gave it a chance," James said as he pulled Lily into an embrace.

"More dangerous than you, Black and Moony?" she asked holding on to the embrace, "Maybe that would stop the Death Eaters. Beware the dangerous Evans," she mocked.

At 'Death Eaters' he knew his body had tensed, and prayed she hadn't noticed. _It's only a week. You'll see her in a week. She'll be with a witch or wizard at all times She should be fine, _his mind kept reciting. But despite all these reassurances, he could realize he was trying to memorize certain things about her. The silkiness of her hair. The smell of morning dew and floral. Her touch. His lips against her own.

"I'll see you soon," He told her as the moment passed, "and when I do I have a surprise for you, you'll love it. Just promise me you'll be safe and careful. And if anything happens, Apparate to Vera's or to the Potter Manor in Salisbury, can you remember that?"

Lily looked puzzled.

"James, you told me ever since I asked you about whatever you heard this morning that I have nor reason to worry. If you say I have nothing to worry about, why all these instructions as though either us could be dead in our beds or…"

_Because I'm a bloody liar and you're not in the Order, that's why. _"It's just the sort of world we live in. Don't worry Lily, you have nothing to worry about, really." _Liar. Liar. Damned Bloody Liar… _

"If you say I have nothing to worry about, I trust you. You wouldn't lie," Lily said evenly, leaving James with guilt seeping through his robes like blood. "And I'll make sure I'm safe, Vera and I will put all those tedious little enchantments on the flat."

"Lily," a voice called from beyond the hedge. "Lily, are you out there?"

"I should let you go before I'm under the rose bush," he joked weakly, kissing the top of her head. "Next Sunday at ten, be careful Evans."

"You too Potter," she answered before leaving the shelter of the hedge and walking up the path to her meet her inquisition. James stayed long enough to hear the voices disappear and the door close with a sudden thud as words began thumping in his head, matching his heartbeat in a speeding race.

_If something happens and they make an attempt on her or Vera, their blood is on your head you damned bloody liar…_

* * *

AN: And graduation and all things related to it are now ovah. No mas. We're done. I feel like I've dragged it out as long as possible, but I'm glad to say its done. (confetti falls from my desk-or at least it should). Enjoy Harry Potter week. Drink your moonshine Butterbeer. Call your sibling a Nargle. Leave flowers at your local Jokeshop. Dress up like your favorite (most likely killed off) character.

But above all:Remember, Nagini attacks a professor everytime you don't leave a review or PM. Save a potions master today!

-Kait Hobbit


	26. Godric's Garden

AN: After the world wind of week that was Pottermore, a broken AC and a much needed roadtrip, here's chapter 26! Thanks to SarCoops for beating. SarCoops also just finished her own J/L Fanfic, and if you haven't read it already, its never too late to start! (See 'Favourite Stories' for details).

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Godric's Garden

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Lily had forgotten about her Sunday morning engagement until she heard the thunderous knock on the front door that woke her. Sunlight was streaming from the window she and Vera had yet to cover with curtains. The mix of light and loud noise from the front room caused her roommate to wrap deeper in her blankets while Lily arose with a hangover-esque headache and a disposition that could spoil the day if the person behind the door was not James. Quickly, she cast a glance at the mirror they had put up on the door. _Damn it, _the heat of summer had turned her hair into a messy cascade of curls sticking in every direction. She could see smudges from where she hadn't washed off all her eye shadow off the night before. To top it all off, she was wearing an oversized StarKid Rock t-shirt Vera had bought her and large pajama bottoms that looked like they should have died three decades ago.

The knock continued again, Vera swore under her slumbering breath. _Of all mornings, he chooses this one?_ The hair would have to do, she thought, pulling it back into a messy pony tail and headed down the hallway, bumping into boxes and stubbing her toe on Vera's trunk.

She had been surprised to see how small the flat actually was. Their dormitory in the Gryffindor Tower had to have been twice the size of the shoebox she currently lived in. When they had brought the last of the boxes, they planned to perform a few enlargement charms to make the flat comfortable, but at present the only room to have been charmed was their bedroom. _If it hadn't been for the charm you probably couldn't have gotten the second mattress in_, she lamented. She was sure she had seen cupboards under the stairs bigger than the flat. Next to the small room was an even smaller bathroom, while the front of the flat housed a kitchenette and living area that would double as a dining room. It was small, but it was home. Anyway, there was no need to have a flat with carpeted floors and matching wallpaper, wooden floors and mismatched wrapping paper walls built character.

The knock kept banging against her door, calling her to it. "I'm coming one minute!" She yelled. "Hold your hippogriffs James!" She shimmied in between a trunk and a stack of her boxes labeled 'books.' Every square inch of the apartment's floor was covered in boxes. And then all other surfaces that could spare room were just as covered, Vera's make up currently being stored next to last nights leftovers in the fridge.

"I couldn't remember what time you were going to come," Lily yawned, looking through the peephole at the grinning git she loved. "Do you have any idea how gross I look?"

"Open the door and I'll be the judge of that," he responded. "I've spent a week with Sirius and Remus out in the wild. It took all I had not to snog the house elf when I got home last night."

She opened the door and arched an eyebrow and cautious look. "Are you trying to tell me I should be jealous of your house elf?"

He took the door and opened it wider pulling her into his arms "No, you don't have to be jealous of anything. Even in those pants"

"You leave my pants out of this, they're right comfortable," she retorted. But even now she felt she couldn't banter properly with James. She hadn't realized just how much she had missed him over the week apart. Seeing him there, in front of her, was like seeing the stars in the country compared to the city. They were the same stars-but brighter and even more enchanting.

She put her hand up to his resting on her cheek. "I could get used to mornings like this," she whispered, "Couldn't you?"

"You know I could," he answered, "I like your hair like this," he said, taking a strand of a curl against her neck. "It sort of looks like a pixie's been playing in your hair and curling it while you slept."

"Heat Pixie," she moaned. "Come on in, come in," she motioned as they entered the apartment together. "Sorry there's nowhere to sit-one minute-_Wingardium Leviosa!" _she flicked and a stack of records and her cauldron floated out of the chair. "I'll just be a minute-what should I wear casual, nice?"

She looked over him, again for what seemed to be the first time. He seemed to be dressed in some of his less formal, but still nice, wizarding clothes. Black pants on the bottom while a crimson dress shirt was covered by pinstripe vest. To top it all off, he had a black bow tie like the one he wore at her sisters wedding. It was formal, but at the same time there was just something about James in a bow tie that made her smile.

Finishing inspection and impromptu check out of James she tilted her head to the side and in faux disappointment sighed. "A week camping and you choose your first day of freedom to wear a monkey suit?"

"It's a good thing you and Sirius aren't in constant contact, I think you two are rubbing off on each other," James smirked loosening his bowtie. "Is it a crime to try and dress nice? I thought that's what girls liked. If you rather I go downstairs and get in a fight with the first bloke that crosses my path, I'm sure alley dirt and a bloodied lip would ruin the clothes."

"Your lucky I love you," she answered as she made way to the bedroom. "There's some leftovers in the fridge if you haven't eaten, I'll be quick."

She couldn't make out everything he was saying but she definitely caught _'unorthodox'_ _'Chow Mien for Breakfast?_' '_Eating with sticks'_ and _'Merlin I love her_.' She let the smile sit on her face for a little bit as she rummaged through her trunk and pulled out the white eyelet sundress Vera had on occasion let her borrow in the past. She wouldn't mind. Hadn't she dressed her up for her first date with James months ago? Vera insisted on being Lily's Fairy Godmother when it came to dressing her up, she couldn't be disappointed with Lily raiding her trunk.

Grabbing her wand, she began fixing her make up and then a strand of hair. With another flick of her wand, she erased a wrinkle in the skirt, removed a stain from her shoe, or some other tedious thing of that nature. _No need to go overboard, James isn't observant._

"You need to stop dressing up in white like that Lily, that's the second white dress you've worn on a date. One day I'll think you're going on a date wearing white and I'll be the last to know you're eloping," her friend yawned rising from her slumber and looking at her friend. "Of course, I do think the eyelet looks good with your hair, it's classic."

"Firstly, I doubt I'd ever elope and if I did you can bet I'd have you getting me through the day," Lily grinned. "I wouldn't be surprised if you suggest to James an elopement just because you'd enjoy that sort of adventure. You'd bloody well think it's romantic" she responded, giving herself one last look in the mirror before turning to face her friend.

"Of course I would," Vera sighed, holding her pillow with a star struck look. "Young love—what could be better? People say you're too young, people say you should wait, eighteen's too young to know what love means but with a murderous villain hot on your trails you can't wait to marrying for love and for survival…"

"You need to stop reading those sickle books," the red head groaned. "I mean it. Spend your sickles on actual books with meaning not those flimsy ones."

"I don't know what you're talking about Lily Evans," Vera laughed getting out of bed and pulling up her own hair. "Who needs those predictable books when I have you two to watch?"

"How does it look Fairy Godmother?" Lily asked ignoring Vera's comment. She twirled her skirt side to side, letting the curls on her head and the whips in her dress sway with her.

"Well, you're no Fountain of Fair fortune, but you're not that Muggle girl that played in the fireplace all day either," her friend winked before yawning again. "Remember, make your Fairy Godmother proud."

"Will do," she responded as she opened the door. Her friend's words called back to her, "I mean it, don't tell him good-night like a friend - lay one on him!"

Lily shut the door immediately and entered the kitchen hoping James hadn't heard all of Vera's battle cry. She found James looking through the pink box that had been place next to the Chinese Food. She had to struggle down a laugh. "You did realize that it's make-up in that box? If your hungry you'd want to eat the Chinese, not the eye shadow."

"Of course I knew it was make up," he answered all to quickly, looking away from the fridge and then back to her. He smiled widely, an extra gleam in his eye "You look beautiful Lily," he told her.

"Coming from the guy who admitted he had thought about snogging his house elf, that means a lot," she said, struggling to hold a straight face while the corners of her mouth pulled in a smile. "If I'm feeling up for a snog, I'll go change into a pillowcase, How's that?"

"Should've seen that one coming," he replied, taking her hand." Although the pillow case…"

"Are you sure you don't want some Chinese? It's really not a bad breakfast food. They opened this restaurant off of Downing Street…." she started trying to change the subject wishing she had the pillow case to smother her blushing cheeks.

Gratefully, James caught the hint. "I'm fine. Are you all right Apparating on an empty stomach? We can get brunch when we get there. I know a place or two."

"I suppose, but where are we going?" She asked tilting her head as he took her hand. "Is this too nice? Should I change into something else?"

"No, this is good, I said you were beautiful, not embarrassing," he assured her. "One, two-" The jerk of a backwards pull and the tight grip of his hand in hers transported them outside the apartment, a blaze of sunlight and bright blue sky greeting them as they reached the ground with a certain thud.

"Where are we?" She asked, looking around. It looked like they were in a smaller town. Centuries old trees lined the streets and she could hear the gentle hustle of the streets nearby. She was guessing somewhere near Wales. It was very green and the smell of morning mist still lingered. She could hear birds singing and a few people walking by gave James a nod as they continued on their own path, as though not fazed by the sudden appearance of two people in the street.

"Where are we? Salisbury?" Lily asked, preparing her self for a surprise attack from Mrs. Potter again.

"Nah, nothing to interesting down there," he told her. "Don't get me wrong, I'd love you to spend a day with my family, and my mum continues to say you're always welcome, but I thought we'd try another place today."

She was still puzzled. There was no reason those people would take their arrival out of thin air sanely. Even if they had gone to Salisbury, it was a muggle city. "But those people knew you..?"

"Of course they knew me. The Diggles had a nephew my age and we were playmates on the Junior Quidditch League when I was little" he explained. "Funny kid, had a delicate condition after one summer, I think his parents sent him abroad for school."

"Then this is?" Emerging from the street on to a main road, she could make out the little shops and what looked to be an old church on a square. In the center of the road, standing tall and erect was a statue of gold, an intimidating man stood with his arms folded but a pleasant look on his face. How many times had she seen that face in the Common Room Portraits? She had seen it in fact so many times; she was well familiar with it.

"Welcome to Godric's Hollow Lily," James smiled, looking at her with a gentle gaze as it all set in. "Come on, I know just the place for brunch."

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They had taken their time getting to Seeker's Tavern, and by the time they had left it was later than James had expected. He had originally thought they would have something to eat and then give her a tour of the village, but Lily was in her element asking questions about the village and everything that had a trace of magic. It was as though the landscape was a cool butterbeer and it took everything he had for her not to get drunk from it all.

Dinner at the Seekers Tavern was nice. He liked the fact that they were out, together, away from Hogwarts. The simple fact that they were together in a relationship outside of school was a sheer fantasy now real and alive. He had always told people someday this was going to happen, that someday he would woo Lily. When they sat across from each other, laughing at Lily's impersonation of her brother-in-law Vernon, and occasionally holding the other's hand, that it all seemed real.

"Sickle for your thoughts," she smiled, pulling him back from his thoughts.

"Hmm? Oh, right, sickle…" he scrounged in his pocket and grabbed five small coins. "That should be a good tip eh? And really, I think the waiter was an half elf or so...are you ready?"

One of the smiles he loved best danced across her face. "What were you thinking about James? You've been thinking something."

"I was just thinking on how surreal it is that you're in Godric's Hollow with me," he replied, opening the door as they left the little shop. "We've just eaten at one of my favorite places, and after a stroll around the block, you're probably going to have kissed me."

"Is that so?" She asked, a smile in her voice. "Well then, I guess we'll just have to see how good you are at Divination."

They passed the old church in the center of town again; it's stained glass and cemetery locked with the green ivy and little white flowers that bloomed alongside the vines. He wouldn't lie that in that white dress she looked like she belonged amongst those flowers.

"So where to now?" Lily asked. "You still have a block or so before I decide whether or not I'm going to kiss you."

"Should probably look for some place with an extra bit of magic then shouldn't I?" and squeezing her hand they turned down another alley that emptied out alongside a road of cobblestones and stone fences.

"You know, if you hadn't stopped at every wizard sighting you would've gotten a full out tour?" He explained as he followed the familiar path. "But no-"

"Oh give it a rest James, You've just spent a week with Remus and Sirius, you wanted some quality Lily Time. And quality Lily Time means…"

"That you have a full out license to get your way no matter what," he replied in defeat. He stopped in front of the white gate. It looked as though it had been recently painted. Looking down the walk he saw the little cottage; it's lawn was well kept and he could see the red rose bushes were blooming alongside the house. A soft green trim contrasted against the stone exterior, giving the cottage a gentle, inviting touch that made it seem less medieval and more home like.

"Here we are," he grinned, opening the gate, "Come on in."

He could feel Lily's hesitation looking at the unfamiliar house but walking gingerly behind him. "What is this place James? Do you know who lives here?"

"Of course I know," he answered, flicking his wand at the lock and opening the door, "I do."

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"You live here?" She asked flabbergasted, before remembering that James' family owned two houses. Hadn't he told her that the Salisbury Manor had been part of his mother's dowry and that the family only used Godric's Hallow as a vacation home when Mrs. Potter deemed they needed a change of scenery—

"Well, not at the moment, but this is where I grew up in the summers," he shrugged. "It wasn't all this refined when I was here though, Mum's been doing some remodeling since I left Hogwarts, but this place is home. Come on, I'll start some tea and show you around the place."

Refined wasn't the word Lily would use to describe the cottage. The front entrance had wooden floors that were often polished, and the living room and parlors adjacent to the entryway had fine rugs and what looked like comfortable couches. She entered the living room for a better look. One wall was full of bookcases brimmed to capacity with books while in the center of the wall was a fireplace littered with photographs. Above the fireplace was a painting of a small family, an elderly couple who were currently engaged in chasing the five year old, black haired boy around the frame. They weren't scolding the boy but she could hear their laughter at little "Jamie" while the boy laughed with pleasure.

Other photographs along the mantle showed a handsome couple dressed in fine dress robes, a youthful gleam in their eyes that appeared timeless. The woman wore a veil in her hair and kept tossing her bouquet of forget-me-knots at the groom. This couple continued for a few more frames: flying along the eastern coast, gardening rose bushes, and in another entertaining guests at a Christmas gathering. It was in the later half the pictures showed the gleam in their eyes reflected in the man riding a broom alongside his son. Another with his wife wrapping her arms around her son's neck with his face covered with chocolate, a birthday cap on his young, round face. The final one, the young man and his friend standing side by side the elderly couple along a pier.

"I told Dad I was going to bring you by so he ordered the House Elves to switch out some of the pictures," James said as he entered the room with a tea tray. "Believe it or not, if my sweet mother knew you were coming, all my baby pictures would've been out in regal display."

"They're a very handsome pair," Lily replied, looking at their wedding picture again. "You look a lot like your dad."

She watched him smile as he poured the tea, "In that case I'll agree with you that they're handsome," he winked. "You know, they're going to be pretty lonely when I'm at the Academy. They told me to tell you…"

"You're forsaking the academy and planning on becoming a human owl?"

"That you're always welcome in Salisbury if you need a break from it all," he continued. "Although Mum might like your idea of human owl as a vocation. The closer I get to the Auror Academy… well, you know."

"She's your mother James, she's going to worry about you," Lily said as she drank her tea. The warmth tickled down her throat and she hoped it would stomp out the worry in her stomach_. I'm your girl and I'm worried. Would you become a bloody owl for me? _

"Besides, after a few weeks she'll just start thinking you're at Hogwarts or something like that and she'll start making plans to see you at Christmas."

"That's true," he nodded, "Sirius though, it's a good thing he's going to be with Remus; I don't think its set in that we won't be together again till December."

"Do you need to repeat that?" She asked. She had meant it to keep it to herself. She hadn't meant to say it aloud, and for the smallest moment she thought perhaps he hadn't heard her. But she could hear his teacup return to the saucer and felt her knees give in to the leather chair next to the fireplace.

"Repeat what?" he asked, sinking on he's knees next to her, taking her hand in his.

"Till December'" she said with a bit of edge causing her to remember the fire she used to have in their conversations. "That I'm not going to see you for a few months, I know that you're going to be gone. I'm proud of you for what you're doing, but I…" A lump of emotion settled in her voice and she tried hard to swallow it. She was thinking through the past year with James. She had never cried in front of him. In the seven years she had known him, she couldn't think of an occasion when he had seen her loose it. There was no reason to break the streak now, and over something that was so trivial as a six-month absence from her dearest friend.

"I'll be back though, you know that right?" he asked gently. "No matter what, you know I'm always going to come back to you right?"

"Of course I do," she said quickly in an attempt to hold the lump from rising and the tears from leaking down.

_Pull yourself together Evans, _a voice in her head chided, _You're Lily Evans—Made of Steel, not some love blind girl whose going to lay comatose at his absence. Be strong. If not for your sake, for his._

She looked at his eyes and she knew _he _knew the battle she was fighting within her throat. She could feel the smooth touch of his thumbs tracing circles over her hand. "I'm really proud of you James. I'll be in the front of the line waiting to see you in December," she said in a quiet but firm whisper, "Might mean I put Sirius in a body binding curse, but I think I could do it."

She watched as he smiled, stifling back a laugh. "Please do that," he begged playfully, kissing her hand. "Swear you'll do that?" He asked again, looking into her eyes. Six months before she'd see those eyes look at her again with such loving adoration.

"I swear," she spoke. "Just be careful when you're at the Academy. A bunch of hotshot heroes locked up together for six months, it's just asking for someone to loose a limb."

"Or eyeball," James muttered. "But don't worry, we don't get to train with Mad Eye for another two years."

She smothered a hiccup and gave a weak smile. "Well, that's reassuring."

He changed the subject, going on about how compared to the dangerous acts he and the Marauders had done during Hogwarts years, the Auror Academy was possibly the safest place he could go. She listened absently as he went on about some of the adventures they had gone on during their most recent camping trip. On the exterior, Lily hoped she appeared attentive while inside she felt like she was struggling from keeping the walls from crashing in.

"Here, lemme show you the house," he said, pulling away from the conversation as though he knew she was feigning calm. Returning to the entryway, he showed her the front parlor with its scarlet curtains and cedar desk. "Really just used for stiff occasions, like if dad has to do work on vacation. Mum hates it," he chuckled. Following James he led her to a small kitchen and dining room. It was cozy, bright with so much food stalked away, and she was surprised when James said the family wasn't planning any trips this summer.

"Then why?" she asked, pulled out of her worry.

"Mum likes it ready just in case," he said quickly," You never know…" and as though he was ending the subject, he lead her through a door that brought them back to the living room and a flight of stairs.

"Up here you have your three bedrooms and two water closets. There's also another study, but mum uses it as her greenhouse during the winter months. Woman should've been a herbologist she's rather batty when it comes to her roses…"

"Does she have any flowers other than the ones in front?" she asked. "Of course she does—come on, it's the greatest spot on the tour."

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((*))

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The sunset was just beginning to creep behind the treetops behind the cottage as James and Lily emerged from the house. James waved his wand and light flew to the little lanterns his mum had around her cherished flowers.

He watched as Lily walked in between the rows of flowers. The Red and White rose bushes. The primroses underneath. There was enough light out to see the red common poppies brushing against the hem of her white eyelet dress. Lily was just another flower walking amongst the others.

"You remember what I told you about forget me knots?" he asked, joining her side with a small handful of the little periwinkle blend. She smiled faintly again.

"Your mum keeps magic forget-me-nots like Professor Leif?" She asked remembering when he had raided a greenhouse to help her with a transfiguration gift for Professor Slughorn.

"Of course she does," James sighed, rolling his eyes. "Poor woman had a lot of time waiting for me to be born, I told you, she's batty at times…anyway, these forget-me-knots…"

"When I hold them, I'll think of you," Lily finished for him, bending down and picking up a small bouquet for him. "And here's some for you to think of me."

He pressed the small velvet pettles into his skin and pulled Lily close to him. "I don't need flowers to make me think of you, I do that all the time," he whispered as he leaned in and kissed Lily amongst the roses as the sun crept beneath the sky.

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((*))

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By the time the first stars had begun to shine, they returned back into the house. Under Ministry guidelines, voluntary curfew was to begin at Sundown and several of the Floo stations would close and several apartments and major dwellings would have charms preventing Apparation till sunrise. Luckily, Lily's apartment wouldn't close for another hour.

"Are you ready to go?" Lily called as she slipped on her shoes. "We've only got a few minutes James."

"Coming," he answered, entering the kitchen with a brass key in hand. "Before we go Lily, take this," he said, tossing the key to her hand before he bent down to fix his own shoes.

"What is it to?" She asked looking it over cautiously.

"Here," he told her, continuing before she could protest. "Listen, if something happens, no bloody well listen to me will you Lily?— If there's an attack near you, if you get scared or need a place to disappear, I want you to come here. Wade it out a few days. You'll be safe, Dad has a knack for protective enchantments."

"James I'm not taking your house," Lily said, waving the key back at him. "I'll be fine with Vera, no one's coming after us."

_You don't know that, _he thought, pressing the key in her hand. _You can't believe that._ "Just take it, it'll make me feel better till Christmas. You can bring Vera—whoever—if you need a safe place, this will always be open for you."

She took the key grudgingly, as they linked hands to Apparate. "You know you're being a vague, overprotective git right?"

"If that keeps you alive, I'll accept such a title," and suddenly with a _pop_ the Potter cottage was empty once again.

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AN: Ok guys- we are now at a fork in the road and I need your help in deciding where we go...

When I started Dried Lilies, I meant for it to go from Year 7 to that night in Godric's Hallow. 26 Chapters later, I still have that intention, but have realized that stories, both published and fanfiction, that cover long periods of time can often have a wandering plot and get bland. For that reason I want to know what you all, dear readers, think of splitting Dried Lilies into Three shorter, but just as detailed fanfictions. My main goal in doing this would keep me on track (with a plot!), allow the story not to get bland, and allow you to follow the story at an easier pace. Because lets face it, can anyone imagine what Harry Potter would've been like if Jo tried to cram four years in one novel? That book would have been HUGE!

The Three Fanfics would be divided into three different, but very important periods for Lily and James. 1. Dried Lilies: Morning Lily (Year 7 Hogwarts) 2. Dried Lilies: Fates Overheard (Fall 1978 to Fall 1980) and 3. Dried Lilies: Mourning Lily (1980-that one night in '81).

So please, let me know if you'd prefer the story 1. To stay as one very long fanfic or 2. two to three shorter fanfics. Mind you, if you choose option two, Dried Lilies will end in the next chapter and the second fanfic will be posted within the coming weeks-monthish.

As usual, thank you for reading! I really couldn't have come this far without your love and support. You guys keep me sane and have been such a help this year. Please feel free to leave a review or send a PM if you have any further suggestions (good, bad and ugly). Till next time~Kait Hobbit.


	27. Opening at the Close

I own a 12 page essay on the South African Liberation Movement. Not Harry Potter. Trust me, its different

AN: Because of said paper, I haven't been able to post! But I need sanity and my sanity comes from you lovely people. I hope you enjoy! See AN at the end for more details. Thanks to AngelIre and XxWishingForWingsxX for beta-ing this chapter for me. And SarCoops who has been a help since the story began...

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Opening at the Close

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Severus leaned back in his chair and looked at the clock hanging on the wall. He was a good half an hour early, but if he knew Lily, she would be here any minute. After all, it was the first day of their internship at the International Central Potion Institute and she would be eager to impress and be trying to fight back her nerves the only way she knew best: arriving unreasonably early.

The secretary in the front of the lobby had led him to this room and he felt out of place almost instantly. It was just him and a very modern, state of the art laboratory. This wasn't the dungeons he had grown accustomed to. He couldn't feel a draft, nor could he smell dried flubberworms stuck to the table. Nothing in the room showed signs of being hundreds of years old. If anything was more than _ten _years old, he'd be surprised.

_Twenty minutes—_she was late by Lily standards. He tapped his fingers against the desk. Even he felt out of place with himself. He had cut his hair, the longest strands just brushing his cheekbones. The short length almost added a curl that Lily would surly joke at—he had almost had these curls when the first met. Even his robes where new and well kept, a gift from his mother before he left. _Eighteen years of mistakes and she thinks she can buy them off in new robes…_

The door opened and a girl with a slight frame and hazel hair entered the room. She met Severus eyes with a smile; clutching her bag she walked over and sat in the chair opposite to him. _That was supposed to be Lily's chair…_

"_Bonjour" _the girl said in a weak voice, "_Je m'appelle Yvonne—"_

"I speak English," he said flatly. Then remembering that Lily could enter at any moment, he cracked a smile for the first time in years and softened his voice. "Do you er—speak English as well?"

"Not as well as I speak French," the girl named Yvonne answered her voice slightly wavering for a moment, "But I 'ave been working on it since I applied to the Institute."

He nodded and looked at the clock again. Almost a quarter to the hour and still no Lily…What was keeping her? He knew she wasn't in danger from any one of his _side_. The Dark Lord had given explicit instructions that Lily Evans was not to be harmed—_yet. _This was her last chance. His last chance. If he could not convince her to sway her loyalties, he wouldn't be surprised at all if the Dark Lord ordered Severus himself to kill her.

An icy cold penetrated his heart. But he couldn't do that. He would kill, but not her. _Not those green eyes…._

_But if you won't kill her, someone else will._ He could remember the conversation he had with Macnair months ago. He would do more than kill Lily. He would torture and destroy her before he set her free with the killing curse. Death at his hands would seem like salvation after the hell he would make her endure. And Bellatrix? She would have her share of fun before killing the only other woman considered for the Dark Mark…

_You must persuade her then, _the voice in his head whispered, _because if she dies, you'll wish you were dead as well…_

"So what is your name?" Yvonne asked looking him over with her light, cheerful blue eyes. "You are English, have dark hair and commanding looks. I would suppose you are a Henry? Or perhaps a William, something regal—James?" She persisted.

"Severus," he answered, still in a faux warm, friendly tone. Perhaps it was being mistaken for a _James_ that made his blood boil, but he persisted his faux friendliness as though Lily's life depend on it.

"Ah-Sefarus?" she tried breaking it down but the name was hard for her to break down. "May I call you Sev? That is easier no?"

_Only she can call me that. That's her name—"_Fine," he lied as his eyes returned to the clock. Ten minutes. _Where is she?_ He pushed, his eyes glancing out the door in hopes to see a flicker of the red hair and kind eyes. "Sev works fine."

"I am so excited to be 'ere," the girl went on speaking lavishly as she looked at her surroundings. "I was initially told I was put on a waiting list, but then the other intern declined the position and Monsieur Formage wrote to me immediately and I just couldn't say no."

"You attended Beauxbatons I suppose?" trying to search for some safe piece of conversation before Lily entered. If he got to know this one girl, he could introduce her to Lily and then the girl could serve as the bridge that would restore the frayed friendship.

"_Oui" the_ girl smiled nostalgically. "And I suppose you went to 'Ogwarts yes? Or did your parents send you to Durmstrang?"

"Hogwarts," he replied, tapping his fingers against the desk. Five minutes. Lily Evans better be under threat of death for not being five minutes early to their first day of work. "I have a friend from Hogwarts that should be joining with us soon. Her name is Lily Evans, I'm sure you two will get along well."

"Oh, she already works 'ere?" she asked, obviously impressed by his well connections. She seemed to scoot even closer to him.

"No, she's an intern as well," he said, leaning away from her and the eyes that seemed to flutter. "She should arrive any moment—"

"But that is impossible," Yvonne began, her voice now carrying a strain of worry and self-doubt. "This Institution only allows for one Witch and one Wizard intern a year. We," she motioned to the two of them, although her voice grew warm at the article _'we'_ "are the only interns for the Institute. Isn't that wonderful Sev?"

"You mean it is just you and I?" A wizard with bright red robes entered the room and smiled, handing them badges, work passes and a booklet informing them about the program. It had been true—she wasn't in Switzerland. He had chased her across Europe only to find himself trapped in a room learning about the ins and outs of an Institution she would never enter.

_It was just a scam—she's at St. Mungos, _he thought looking at the clock. This had all been a cleaver scheme set up by Dumbledore. He shouldn't have come here. He wished he hadn't. She had stayed in England, turned down the career opportunity of a lifetime and he knew why. The heat of anger flushed over him and he could feel his face draw tight. She had stayed in England for _him. _For that monster.

And now he had to do everything in _his _power to get back to England, before anyone else found out she had stayed.

* * *

((*))

* * *

Lily's first day of work was nothing like she had expected.

"All new employee's report to The Bonham Chamber for Orientation-Red, that means you," a middle age wizard in golden robes smiled, pointing Lily towards a mass of potential Healers in pale green robes.

"No, you don't understand, I'm with the Potions Research Institute-I'm not training to become a Healer," Lily interrupted, fighting him as he now _pushed _her into the mass. "All new St. Mungo Employees must go through an Orientation miss. Even the PRI; after you've completed the orientation they'll give you an assignment." The man sighed rolling his eyes, "Honestly, do you kids at Hogwarts even read passed your acceptance status when you get your letter?"

_Had she read passed the word's "You're Accepted" when she got her letter? Surely-_and then she did remember a brief notice in the mail from the head of the Institute telling her about the mandatory orientation. But that letter had come weeks ago, in her final days at Hogwarts. So much had happened between now and then. Her brief overlaps in instruction was now messing with her day and rather then the front of the chamber where she had intended on sitting, she was crammed in the back, next to a bigger man with straw colored hair and familiar girl who had a heart shape face surrounded by a bob of dark chestnut hair.

"I forgot it was orientation today too," the girl whispered as Lily pulled out a role of parchment and two quills-just to be on the safe side. "That's what I get for being a Ministry Transfer."

"I think we all just get wrapped up in the fact we're here," Lily replied excitement covering her annoyance at sitting through an orientation for a week rather than diving straight into the Potions Institute,

"It's not that easy to get in here." The girl nodded, and smiled warmly, "I know—I was at the ministry for two years at first before they finally accepted my application. Stupid acceptance witch, I swear, if you don't cross all those ruddy t's"

_I like this girl, _Lily thought as she extended her hand, "I'm Lily Evans," she smiled.

"I know," the girl grinned back, taking her hand. "I'm Alice Livesly. I'm hurt—I was only three years ahead of you and you and you didn't recognize me?"

_Alice Livesly? _She thought to herself in disbelief. This was Alice. The Alice she had modeled herself to be after academic wise. The Alice who was intelligent, compassionate and could be a fighter if you messed with a first year. The Alice who was said to be a diamond ring away from marrying Frank Longbottom. The Alice who had been one of the few girls accepted into the Auror's Academy since the rise of Voldemort.

_Then why is she in orientation to be a Healer?_ Lily thought to herself. Something wasn't right—

"But Alice, you went into the Ministry Law Department didn't you?" Lily started, continuing to rack her brain for an excuse on how she missed her former housemate. _Her hair was longer and she was a little rounder in the face but she was so sincere on joining the Ministry with Frank—ever since yet met her she was dreaming of the Academy..._ "What made you change your mind?"

A short healer with golden robes and lime green trim stepped up in front of them all. "Welcome!" he exclaimed in a high squeaky voice, which from the back of the room sounded like a chorus of Cornish Pixies. "Welcome everyone to St. Mungo's Hospital Orientation!" he squeaked, waving his wand as neon orange booklets floated to the students throughout the hall. "If everyone could open to page 394, we're going to begin with Hospital Safety. Remember—if you don't take care of yourself, you can't take care of others!"

Alice shrugged her shoulders and opened the book. Lily opened her own book and followed along as the Lecturer read through the list of responsibilities and personal hygiene, still struggling to belief why Alice Livesly was really at St. Mungos.

* * *

((*))

* * *

After the first day of Orientation, Lily had decided the remaining weeks worth of lectures concerning procedures and how to properly charm sheets onto beds were going to be as painful as dancing with James. Even more painful because he wasn't there to help her get through the hours in the crowded auditorium. With over one hundred new interns and trainees dressed in pale green robes, she was convinced if James was there, he'd call them boogies and ask why she was so determined to work with wizard snot for the rest of her life when she could marry him and have as many hobbies as she wanted, minus the snot

She did not have James, but she was completely alone at St. Mungos either. Vera, in fact, was getting through the week better than Lily. She had rendezvoused one of the first days with a Fenwick boy who—by fate or by a possible confounding charm—was the supervisor over her training and instructor for the next few months. Lily couldn't find fault with her friend's desire for a star crossed romance and decided it best not to bring it up with Sirius who had taken a liking to Vera's nieces. If thing with Fenwick continued though, she hoped Remus could break the news to Sirius, not her.

The length and monotony of the lectures and course work was only lightened by Alice's presence in the training sessions. Lily still couldn't believe that it had taken three years for one of the smartest witches of her year to get into St. Mungo's program. In fact, it had been something she was struggling to believe. There _had _to be something behind this quarter-life-crisis.

"I just didn't know what I wanted to do when I got out of school," Alice had confided one day when they sat in the back, chatting as their quills took notes for them. "I only knew that I wanted to be close to Frank. We started dating the last year at Hogwarts, I wanted to stop the bad guys, so did he—it only made sense to follow him to the Auror Academy."

Those last words had struck a cord with Lily. James would be in the Academy right then. Godric's Hallow had been their goodbye till Christmas and he was now in an undisclosed Ministry facility being trained to combat Dark Wizards, with owl post available only once a week.

"What's it like?" Lily asked, turning to Alice so out of tune with the cadence of the lecturer's voice to follow along. It was either talk to Alice or fall into an embarrassing afternoon slumber.

"Well, believe it or not it's far more entertaining than charming bed sheets," she quietly chuckled. "James is probably going through Security and Vigilance training with Mad-Eye right now. That is assuming he didn't make the mistake of putting his wand in his back pocket upon arrival. Mad-Eye doesn't care for that at all, wouldn't want him to make an example of James and hex half his buttocks off."

"Would he do that?" Lily asked boarding hysterical laughter and hysterical worry. Mad-Eye had been a well-known Auror ever since Voldemort had arisen to power and from the stories she had heard, Lily could almost believe this. Her nightmares of finding James dead in a forest would now be accompanied by dreams of him dead and also missing various parts of his body...

"Don't worry, I'm just giving you a hard time. They only send Mad-Eye in the first week to scare them, thin the heard, and then they send in some auror who's survived to retirement to teach," Alice explained, a look of longing in her eyes as though she wished she was still in that Academy with a Mad Man and a grizzly wrinkled survivor. "Although you best write to James and warn him about the Buttocks thing-there was a kid in my class that was rushed out to St. Mungos after an—err—incident."

"Why did you leave?" Lily asked another day, while they ate lunch following a lecture on St. Mungo's policies for Dragon Pox Epidemics. She could say all she want that she 'Just rushed into it' but Alice Livesly never rushed into anything. And she had wanted to do law enforcement for years. "You had to be nearly complete with your training and now your here? You're at a whole new square one."

Alice's face seemed to tense and her eyes get lost in space again. "The final year's always the toughest," she said gently. "They see how much you can handle before you crack; I—" she struggled for a moment. "I realized that I couldn't see the people I couldn't save—I couldn't face the survivors of families that had just been exterminated. Its one thing to find a house with entire families dead inside. Seeing them dead together, it's sad but you know there still together. It's another thing to explain the deaths to a mother who had just ran to the store for milk or a father who just came home from work to find their worlds torn apart. Having to tell children their orphans—"

Lily had wished she hadn't asked. "So that's why you came here?" making a mental note to never push James or Alice on the subject again. "I know this seems cold—but doesn't a hospital seem like an odd place to hide from death?"

A flicker of a smile returned to Alice's face, "Fighting Dragon Pox is a lot different than Fighting Death Eaters. I'm afraid you and James will learn that soon enough."

* * *

((*))

* * *

Lily arrived home late Friday night following her tour of the labs. After a week's worth of listening to the squeaky voiced Trainer - Cornish Pixie as Lily had dubbed him - she could have sworn ambrosia was brewing in every cauldron, drawing her deeper and deeper into the silver lined laboratory of the St. Mungos Potion Research Institute. She loved the lab, the stacks of pewter cauldrons, the ingredient cupboards that stretched over every open space along the walls, all stocked and ready for service.

They had taken her to the room just of the central lab where her and four others would meet before being divided amongst the institute. She recognized a Fortescue boy from Ravenclaw, but the others were unfamiliar. A boy with curly blond hair was speaking to the other intern telling her he was transferring from the Wizard Hospital in Queenstown Australia and was asking if she believed all this 'You-Know-Who' business. A trainer had grabbed their attention as she proceeded to tell the interns that assignments would be made at random based off of what they had put on their applications.

"Assignments may vary—you will all probably start on the same assignment working on potions made especially for the Ministry's Law Enforcement Department but with a little time you'll branch out into specialized courses," she had said as she glanced down her clipboard. "One Potioneer is trying to create a stronger batch of polyjuice potion while Mr. Belby and his 'Operation Luna'—no need to ask me what that is, he's rather secretive of that…."she added to the side, before giving them a further tour of the facility.

When she finally apparated into her building that night, she was ready to pour a bowl of cereal, kick off her shoes and then pass out on a square of vacant floor. She had thought about going to visit Remus and Sirius but new she'd only have an hour or two to visit before the curfew began.

_Maybe they could come over, after all, since when did Sirius care about curfew _she thought turning the corner to her hallway. A sudden icy numbness seized her insides and her fingers traced the outline of the key to Godric's Hallow James had given her, tucked in her pocket. She could just apparate there and come back to her apartment later, but it was too late. Vera was already there, standing outside their apartment and tracing back and forth. She heard Lily's footsteps and instantly opened her eyes, relief rolling down her shoulders.

"It's about time Lily," Vera said exasperated, some of whatever worry she had still pulling down on her friend. "He wanted to speak to you so I let him in and said I'd be out to get some stuff in the alley but I don't think he bought it."

"He who?" Lily asked, her fingers on her wand and looking at the door as though her worst fear could be somewhere inside, a polite Death Eater who had imperioused Vera and would invite Lily to tea before murdering her.

"Dumbledore," her friend moaned, as though this ought to have been an obvious fact, "Really Lily, what other guy would I let in the apartment and fake a reason out?"

"I could list a few," she chided, thinking of several exes Vera would invite in and give the slip to only for Lily to deal with. "What did he say he wanted?"

"To see you as soon as you came in," Vera answered, "Maybe they're going to offer you Slughorn's post-or Flitwick, I dunno if they're staying. Ol'Sluggy's been talking about retirement for years and I think He's been knocked off balance since Thomas's pyrotechnics' charm last term."

Lily highly doubted it was either scenario. If James was there he'd say Dumbledore was going to ask how she'd prefer her statue to be constructed but Lily knew better then that. _Just __me__, he hadn't wanted to see Vera…_

"Well, I'll let you two chat, I'll be out running my errands," Vera winked and disappeared down the hall.

She turned the doorknob, her wand still extended as though she was on her guard. Sure enough, there stood Professor Dumbledore, going through her muggle music albums.

"Ah, Miss Evans," he smiled. It seemed so odd to see her former headmaster, in his deep sapphire robes, amidst the chaos of her living room. "I hope you'll forgive me, I saw you had _Revolver_-classic album. Better than their _Rubber Soul _I'd have to admit. You have very good taste."

"Professor—" Lily didn't know where to start. She didn't even know all about the group on the records. Petunia had given them to her begrudgingly before she married Vernon. However, she had noted that her sister hadn't surrendered a poster of the four boys that had hung in Petunia's closet for years. It was one thing for her sister to follow a muggle music group, but the Chief Wizard of the Wizengamot.

"I discovered them in a shop on one of my travels. They have their own special source of magic, I'd say," he explained as he tapped his wand against another chair and the contents moved across the room for Lily to have a chair.

"Thank you, sir," Lily answered in what she was sure was unmasked confusion. "Would you care to sit down? I can make tea—"

"No need," The elderly man smiled, waving his hand as a mismatched tea tray came in from the kitchenette. "Miss McKinnon was kind enough to start a kettle before your arrival. Please sit down, Tea is best drunk sitting, or that's what Poppy tells us at staff meetings."

She took a quick drink of tea and in that moment all the possible scenarios of why he was here, and even more, why he was offering her tea in her own apartment came rushing to her. Vera had been optimistic in thinking it was for a job opportunity, but Dumbledore knew she wasn't ready for that, and she had no desire to teach. The only logical solution—something had happened to James Potter.

"Excuse me, Professor, but what can I do for you? Other than lend you my Beatles collection—" she said, setting down her cup, the calming effect disappearing with its touch.

"Ah, an extraordinary idea," the professor beamed, as he poured himself another cup. "But rather, It is I who should be asking what I can do for you, Miss. Evans. There is—something I've been meaning to ask of you—Minerva is insistent, you know, and I agree—The time is right I'm afraid."

Her blood pounded within her head and she felt a sticky sense of danger creeping up her back. _ If James isn't in trouble, who else is? Sirius? Remus? Is Vera in harm__'__s way__?__. . ._a feeling like a stone weighed down on her stomach. She hadn't thought about her parents. If something had happened to them—if something was _going_ to happen to them…

"Tell me Lily," Dumbledore began, the old, elderly man no longer visible in his countenance. He appeared to be stronger and more powerful as he looked her square in the eye, "Have you ever heard of the Order of the Phoenix?"

* * *

AN:I bet you didn't know that Dumbledore was a fan of the Beatles...

I can't believe that this part of the story is over! When I originally started writing a year and a half ago, I had no plans to take it to this level of detail and length. Thank you al for making me want to dig a little deeper! I love you allllll! (it's what happens when you've been sorted into Hufflepuff via Pottermore: SunFirebolt201-send me a note!)

So, a clever little cliff hanger that will lead into Dried Lilies: Fates Overheard. I _will_ have that next chapter up within the next few weeks. Someone had mentioned posting an Authors note so those who follow this story would know. Let's plan on that; or wait for an alert via Owl Post. Remember to leave a review if you loved or hated it it. Questions, Comments, Complaints, whatever works. Also, as always, your welcome to send PM's!

Till the next volume (which should be up ASAP)-KH.


	28. Authors Note

Author's Note

* * *

Last month, I closed _Dried Lilies: The Morning Lily_ after a year and a half. If you prefer to end the story as Marauder generation leaves Hogwarts, you are more than welcome to do so and disregard this note. However, if you want to continue the journey, you may now do so.

I am very pleased to announce that I have added the first chapter of _"Dried Lilies: Fates Overheard"_ the second installment of my fanfiction that covers the course of James and Lily's life. It is available on my page now, and will be updated within the next week weeks of the holiday season as I enjoy a break from my university studies. I had said in the last Chapter of _"Dried Lilies"_ that I'd put a blurp up when I posted volume two so those who had story alerted would know.

So, Here's your blurp.

But as I feel it's cheating you all and by uploading less than 100 words, Let me be a super nerd and share what's in store (other then the foretold Halloween) for our favorite dynamic duo:

It's 1978. The Marauders have finished their seven years at Hogwarts School and are all separated for the first time as they embark on their own adventures trying to find their place in the world. While Peter and other wizard traditionalist take part in a tour of the world, Remus has gone through ten Honeydukes chocolate bars trying to keep his job in the Centaur Liaisons office but knows that it's only a matter of time before the director calls him into his office and he leaves it with a pink slip. Sirius' luck has finally run out and he's running across the country as a "Magical Mechanic," fixing Vanishing cabinets while listening to the complaints of middle aged, nagging housewives from 8 to 5 and works an additional, more dangerous nightshift for Orion McKinnon. With his best mate at the Auror training facility, life has become mundane, expectable, and has left him and Moony as constant house guests at Lily and Vera's for dinner and discussions on who's been killed and who they think will be next.

As the world around them get's darker, friends and people they've grown up with begin to change. No one has seen or heard from Severus Snape since he left for the continent. Attacks begin to rise, just like the death toll. Rumors spread of friends turning against one another and of once loyal fighters to the cause defecting to the enemy.

But some aspects of life remain tale as old as time. Between Auror Training, secret missions inside St. Mungo's Potions Institute and dangerous assignments from the Order, James and Lily continue to find ways to fall in love. As 1978 yields in to 1979 rays of sunshine break the shadow and fight back the storm that they both know the future holds.

So enter the Order's secret meeting room, stand at the end of the chapel's aisle, emerge from the smoke of the battlefield, and follow as the seer is overheard by the sneak.

_Dried Lilies: Fates Overheard_ is their story: of danger, of betrayal and of the two people who are able to fall in love and experience the dangers and joy that rise from starting a family—until fates become overheard and destinies slowly begin to be set.


End file.
